


So that means we're friends, right?

by PaisleyWraith



Series: Paisley's Mysterion [2]
Category: South Park
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2019-03-15 05:02:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13606113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaisleyWraith/pseuds/PaisleyWraith
Summary: Kyle has been Mysterion's informant for a year. Picking him bloodied off the ground isn't exactly a new thing, but it's the first time he's let the law student patch him up.





	1. Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> Pastaoverlord24 on Tumblr suggested a fic where Kyle takes care of Mysterion injured. An excellent suggestion, hope I do it justice.

He was bleeding. Badly enough that it was seeping into Kyle’s clothes.

“I wish you would let me take you to the hospital,” Kyle fretted. He looked over his shoulder again, making sure they weren’t being followed. The men who’d thrown him into the street had just disappeared. For the time being. “That was fucking scary.”

“I told you to leave me,” The man said, leaning so heavily against Kyle he was practically carrying him. “You’ll…just be in trouble.”

“I live around the corner,” Kyle replied, bracing him as he stumbled. “I’m not leaving you on the street.”

The vigilante groaned in pain, clutching his blood-soaked uniform. He was slowing down, and that frightened him.

“Lean on me all you need to,” Kyle told him, fumbling for his keys in the dark. Just in case they needed to get in quickly. “We’re almost there. Hold on a little longer.”

He slumped, and Kyle caught him. For someone he’d personally seen take down men twice his size, he was light.

“Mysterion?” Kyle asked, alarmed, and the vigilante stirred.

“It’s a waste of time, Kyle.” The cloaked man mumbled. “I don’t know who’s following me.”

“You’re bleeding out practically in my front yard, I’m not abandoning you!” Kyle snapped. The man smiled, twisted, and Kyle continued. “So shut the fuck up, already. My apartment is here. First floor, no stairs. It’s okay. You’ll be okay.”

The vigilante laughed in his ear, mocking and dark. “You aren’t scared of me at all, are you?”

“You’ve only been coming to me for help for almost a year now,” Kyle said firmly as he unlocked the door. “I only write about you in the paper all the time. I’ve seen what you can do. So no, you don’t scare me.”

“I should,” Mysterion murmured. “You make me sound nicer than what I am.”

“Yeah, you just broke up a kidnapping ring last week. Not nice at all.” Kyle tried to ease the bloody man onto his couch, and Mysterion flopped limply onto his back with a grunt. Kyle moved to shut and lock the door first of all, then moved to his side immediately, green eyes snapping.

“Take off your shirt,” He said, not leaving room for argument. “I know you probably have a concussion, but I want to make sure you don’t bleed out first.”

“It’s a one-piece,” Mysterion mumbled, leaning back against the pillows. “Just leave me alone. It’ll end up okay.”

“Not a chance,” Kyle retorted, “I need to check the cut. How’d you let that guy actually pick you off your feet?”

“Lucky,” Mysterion sounded like he was slurring. “Fucker.”

This wasn’t getting anywhere. Mysterion’s eyes were drooping, and Kyle grit his teeth.

“How do I get this off?” He asked, stooping down beside the couch. “Mysterion.”

“Ky…” The vigilante breathed, eyes closing.

Kyle’s heart was racing. He grabbed the man’s chin, getting in his face.

“Open your eyes!” He demanded, and the vigilante obliged with a wince. “You’re letting me help you or I’m calling an ambulance. Your fucking choice.”

"I'm tired, not dying," Mysterion grumbled as he slowly reached up under the top of his cloak, trying to pull. Kyle found a snap and detached the cloak, watching the hero grit his teeth as the redhead pulled the cloak off his shoulders entirely.

“A zipper?” Kyle couldn’t help but point out. “The most feared man in the whole fucking city is running around in a onesie?”

“Fuck off.” Mysterion looked exhausted, but still pissed. He moved to help Kyle unzip the costume, which made Kyle just more distressed.

“No bullet-proof armor, nothing?” Mysterion was pale, too. Pale and thin. He was lean, but he still didn’t look like someone who could pick up the front end of a car. “Dude, how have you not died already?”

Mysterion cracked a smile, something bitter and ugly and it made him shiver. “Heh.”

Kyle peeled his costume where it was sticking to his wound. He breathed in relief.

“Fuck, it’s just a bad road rash.” He laughed, feeling flooding back into his fingers. “Shit. You scared me to death. Thought maybe you severed an artery.”

Mysterion closed his eyes again, settling back.

In truth, there was one puncture wound. Kyle wondered how it happened. He’d seen the guy pretty much _lift_ the vigilante up and throw him into the fucking street. Into a car. His body had bounced off the car and skidded across the street and remained still.

He’d just been watching. Mysterion had been in his neighborhood for some reason, he’d watched him get hurt, and once the men had fled, Kyle stepped in before they came back. 

“You should have broken something,” Kyle mentioned as he stood to get his first aid kit from under the sink. “I can’t believe you got off this easy.”

Mysterion smirked, tiredly, as he approached. He lowered his head again, just letting Kyle work.

There was a cut in the scraped-up skin, he noticed as he started cleaning up the area. The vigilante never flinched. Kyle glanced up.

“Can you feel this at all?” He asked. If he couldn’t, that was a whole other issue.

“Yes.” Mysterion sounded uninterested. “It’s fine.”

It was eerie. He never moved, never reacted. He was disinfecting the area and it had to hurt like hell. Kyle watched his chest rise and fall as he worked on the skin. He had a thought and it wasn’t pleasant.

“You aren’t going to a hospital at all, are you?” Kyle asked irritably.

“No.”

“Great. Guess I’ll do what I can, then,” Kyle cringed. “I can use surgical glue, but your skin is fucked up, dude. You look like you fell into a meat grinder.”

“Whatever makes you happy, Kyle,” Mysterion replied. He sounded tired. “I’ll be fine. I’ve had worse than this.”

“I heard you got shot downtown last week,” Kyle said coolly, looking up at him again. “I don’t see any marks, though.”

Mysterion opened his eyes again, watching. Smiling. “I told you. I always end up fine.”

Kyle met his gaze. He tilted his head, having a slow realization. “Can you regenerate?”

“Mmm,” Mysterion’s answer wasn’t yes or no.

“I know you talk more than this,” Kyle said, leaning back from taping gauze over his worst scrapes. “I interview you regularly. If your concussion is messing with you that badly-”

“I don’t have any useful abilities,” Mysterion sounded more irritated than anything. “I can fight, I bounce back quickly. That’s it.”

Kyle decided there wasn’t much he could do for the massive bruising other than give him ice packs. He pulled the blanket on the back of the couch over his chest, standing up. Mysterion was asleep by the time he got back from the fridge, and Kyle stared down at him.

He could snicker over Kyle not being afraid all he wanted, this was bizarre. The most wanted hero in the state was willing to strip and sleep around Kyle as if he wasn’t in any danger. He regularly showed up when Kyle asked him to, willingly shared information, even asked for help sometimes. He trusted him.

Kyle crouched down next to him. He watched his face, the twitch of his eyelids and his lips parted as he breathed. The mask covered half of his face, dark paint over his eyes to…disguise him, somehow. It was smeared, revealing pale eyelashes.

Kyle reached, without thinking, intending to cup his face.

Mysterion jerked awake, reaching out to stop Kyle’s hand and ending up smacking him in the face instead.

“Fucking _ouch_!” Kyle wasn’t hurt as much as he was pissed. “Bite the hand that heals you, I guess?”

“Sorry,” Mysterion mumbled, in such a different voice that it took Kyle by surprise. He almost commented on it, when he realized what it must be.

“You can’t sleep,” Kyle said in concern. “Don’t fall asleep yet. I need to make sure you’re alright.”

Mysterion seemed to shake himself. “Right,” His voice corrected. “I’m…yes.” He looked exhausted, snuggling into the blankets like a child.

Kyle smiled, confused. He turned this terrifying, dark beast into something nearly cute. Mysterion was feared. He was vicious and unrelenting and remorseless. And he was curled, half-naked on Kyle’s couch all bandaged up and under a fleece blanket.

Kyle moved to sit down fully beside him, not quite sure what to do about the situation. He really wasn’t equipped to treat medical problems. That gash in his chest worried him greatly. He did the best he could, but it was worrying.

“Do you…” Mysterion looked at him, and Kyle carefully proceeded. “Have an identity? Someone you are when you aren’t Mysterion?”

The quiet look turned electric. His eyes seemed to spark. “Why?” His growl was back, and he lifted himself up on one elbow.

“Lay the fuck down, you idiot,” Kyle touched his shoulder, gently trying to coax him down. “I just wanted to know if that persona could visit a hospital. I really think you should get someone professional to look at you.”

Mysterion eased back down, the fire leaving him, replaced by something just as warm but not as intense.

“I do,” He revealed. “And if I say I’ll think about it, will you drop it?”

That sounded nearly playful. Kyle’s hand was still on his shoulder, and he slowly, curiously, dragged his fingertips across the bruises there.

“For now,” Kyle finally said, finding it surreal to be touching Mysterion so gently. He was allowing Kyle to run his fingers over his bare skin. It shook him a little, that and the tired way he was watching Kyle. He had snapped bones in half, sent the worst of people running in terror, and here he lay quietly in his house, letting him fuss. The Jewish man smiled, tracing his fingers over his collarbone. “Does anyone ever look after you?”

“You’re getting too personable,” Mysterion warned quietly. “We’re not friends, Kyle.”

Kyle looked him over. Looked around his living room. Looked back at him.

“I’m not going to comment,” He finally said. “I’m getting something to drink. Water fine for you?”

“I should go,” Mysterion said, hoisting himself up. Kyle’s hand immediately settled on his chest.

“Don’t,” Kyle said, serious. He met Mysterion’s gaze, unafraid. “If you’re not going to a doctor, you’re staying until I at least know you don’t have brain damage.”

Mysterion paused, seeming to think.

“You can’t keep me here,” He said, narrowing his eyes.

“I can’t,” Kyle agreed. “But I can ask that you don’t leave yet.” There, he paused. Kyle moved forward quickly. “I’ll worry about you.”

Something softened in the vigilante’s eyes. “And what makes you think I care?”

Kyle didn’t shirk. “You smile every time I say something like that.”

The smile immediately left Mysterion’s face, eyes widening like he’d been caught. He sat up again, brushing Kyle’s hand off and trying to put on his uniform quickly.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Kyle demanded, flushing.

“We both know why you care and I can’t give you anything,” Mysterion spoke quickly, jaw clenching as he tugged the cloth back on over his wounds. “I can’t, Kyle. I’ve let this go on too long, this is my fault.”

“Wait,” Kyle’s voice was weak, feeling cold from head to toe. “Don’t- what do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean,” Mysterion whirled on him, body shivering under the stress. His eyes were wild, with something that looked like fear. “You’re infatuated with an idea of me, something you can regale and hail as a hero and I’m not, I’m nothing like what you think and you shouldn’t have ever gotten this close to me. This is the last time you’re going to see me, it has to be.”

So he did know. He actually knew, and he never even fully admitted it to himself. Kyle felt humiliated, his hands were shaking, but he stepped into his space anyhow to fight. He wasn't some fragile violet. He wouldn't win this by embarrassing him. 

“Now wait,” He stammered, trying to wrap his mind around this. He couldn’t leave. He just- “You’re not giving me near enough credit! I know what you’ve done, I’m documented most of it-”

“And yet you’re still trying to paint me like a hero!” Mysterion argued back, holding the spot on his uniform with dried blood crusted into it. He had to be aggravating that cut.

“Because I truly believe that you’re acting from a good place,” Kyle snapped back. “And I’m not…I never once even debated asking you for anything. That’s not fair to throw at me, how dare you?!”

Mysterion grit his teeth, saying nothing.

“From what I know of you? I think you’re just scared,” Kyle accused, snarling up at the man. “You shy away from anything that might make you think that you aren’t the menacing, heartless being you seem to be trying to convince yourself you are. You’re terrified of anything that might change your mind, to make you think that somehow you might end up being human after all.”

“I’m not scared,” Mysterion said, slowly. Staring.

“Yes you are,” Kyle’s voice was ice. “I’ve seen the things you do. You don’t have to be Mysterion. But you are, despite putting yourself in danger nearly daily, taking risks to pick up where the law drops off or bring peace to people with no answers. That’s not good? That’s not selfless?”

“I am very selfish,” Mysterion’s voice was low.

“I’m glad you come to me,” Kyle said, eyes fierce. “Whatever you think you are, you deserve protecting. You deserve help. I won’t ever act on…on anything, but don’t leave. Not if you don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Mysterion’s gaze raised, slowly, lips parted and something startlingly intense in his eyes. He slowly reached up, cupping Kyle’s face. He looked at him, expression shockingly vulnerable.

“If you’d be in my place, you would definitely have been a hero,” Mysterion said, voice unwavering but soft. “You’ll be an incredible lawyer, Kyle.”

“Don’t-” Kyle was about to say, and Mysterion leaned in.

He kissed him. Slow, firm, making Kyle melt. Gloved fingers caressed his cheeks, deepening the kiss as Kyle slid a hand behind his neck. Immediately, Mysterion let him go, breathing against his lips.

“Goodbye, Kyle,” The vigilante pressed one more kiss into his lips, and he was out of Kyle’s arms before he could do anything more than swear at him.

\--

Mysterion wasn’t bluffing. Kyle did not speak to him again after that. He saw Mysterion on the news, wrote about him some, before he had to go back to school and leave reporting behind him for now.

He still tried to puzzle it all together. Mysterion, he felt, was a good person. Someone devoted to protecting and helping, no matter what the reason behind it. And somehow, he felt, he’d cared about Kyle as well. He simply felt he didn’t deserve things like that. Hospitals, help, affection, praise.

It was…no one should think like that. And Kyle wished he had the opportunity to say so. He hoped that he had someone else to go to, if it couldn’t be him. The redhead walked down the stairs, into the warm spring weather after another lecture on criminal justice.

He’d just about begged Mysterion not to leave. How humiliating. Kyle grimaced as he shouldered his way through a gaggle of kids not paying attention to what they were blocking. After about a year of him going to Kyle for help, he’d gotten attached enough to make a fool of himself.

Or did he, if Mysterion was moved enough to kiss his goodbye?

He should probably try and forget it. But Kyle tended to overthink everything on a regular basis, how was this any different? He didn’t want to just let it go. Not when he wasn’t even sure how someone who, yes, he’d considered a friend, might be faring. If he was even okay. Some night, if he was even alive. 

“Hey, sorry,” Someone said, and Kyle glanced over.

The student was tall, blond and with bright blue eyes that seemed to spark as they watched Kyle. He wore a loose red t-shirt and a backpack patched with duct tape on the strap. Not that his ragged appearance detracted much from anything. A smile spread over his face, warm and vibrant and Kyle’s heart leapt for some stupid reason.

“Can you show me where this building is?” The boy asked sheepishly, still smiling at Kyle. “I think I got all turned around.”

“Well, there’s only giant signs telling you which building is which,” Kyle couldn’t help saying, taking the map from him as the boy laughed. He smiled as well, delight that his teasing had been taken well, looking the map over. “Sure. It’s where I’m headed to next. I’ll show you.”


	2. Hello

Kyle grew used to the ragged kid. His name was Kenneth McCormick, Kenny to anyone who knew him, he was Kyle’s age, attended the same university, and also had a younger sibling.

He liked bad jokes and singing off-key, had a strange sort of personality that bordered between ‘too quiet’ and ‘too obnoxious’ and was a student in forensic science. (Which Kyle considered seriously fucking cool.) Kenny was bright, cheerful, kind of an asshole, and just fit himself into Kyle’s life as neatly as anything.

At first, Kyle had been wary. He wasn’t a stranger to being hit on, and some people really took it to extremes, but Kenny never took it a step too far. They walked to class together, they actually had a few they both attended, and more often than not Kenny would end up studying with Kyle in the university library. Weirdly enough, he never remembered Kenny inviting himself or Kyle inviting him, he just sort of…fit.

Like now, for example, as he scribbled down noted in truly atrocious handwriting, chewing on his lips rather adorably as Kyle took glances at him from across the table.

Yesterday, Kyle prodded into Kenny’s past to learn his sister was named Karen, she was a major in design, and Kenny loved her more than anything in the world.

Kyle liked Kenny.

Kenny was smart even if he acted like he was a dumbass. He was driven and kind and genuinely friendly. He was a dork and had a bit of a wild sense of humor for Kyle’s taste. This kid was different, Kyle never clicked with someone like this. It felt like he’d always known Kenny, there was an air of familiarity that made him feel comfortable.

Kenny glanced up, his concentrated expression curving into a smirk as he noticed Kyle staring.

Kyle looked back down but it was too late. Kenny was grinning, bright enough to light the city in itself.

“See something you like?” He teasingly flirted, earning a kick from Kyle. “Hey, ouch.”

“Don’t be an ass,” Kyle said absently, hoping his face didn’t look as hot as it felt. Sometimes Kenny was too comfortable. He probably shouldn’t feel this okay with kicking someone he’d known for a handful of weeks.

Kenny tsked his tongue, taking a swing of whatever sugary, strawberry abomination he’d ordered from the campus Starbucks. Kyle wrinkled his nose, and Kenny always noticed everything.

“Don’t make that face at me,” He said, eyes twinkling. “Mr. Boring-Tea. I would have at least pegged you for a coffee guy, myself.”

Kyle wrinkled his nose further, making Kenny snort.

“No?” Kenny said, ticking something off on his notebook. Kyle hoped it wasn’t some weird list of things he liked.

“Yeah, there was this small-town coffee shop where I lived that pretty much ruined coffee for me. Forever.” Kyle tried not to think of it. He moved away and honestly would be glad never to go back. Just bad memories left now.

“Where did you live?” Kenny asked, resting his chin on his hands as Kyle continued taking diligent notes. “I kinda moved around a lot.”

“I grew up in the little hick town called South Park,” Kyle said, a wry smile on his face. “It’s a weird little place. Not far from here, but…far enough.”

Kenny was looking at him strangely, eyes narrowing. Kyle met his gaze, arching an eyebrow. Waiting.

“I was born there, actually,” He said, and Kyle set down his pen.

“No way,” He said staunchly. “I would have remembered you.”

Kenny’s grin grew into something almost manic. “Oh, would you?” He asked, and Kyle’s face turned red. The blond seemed to enjoy that for a second before lifting a shoulder. “I was sent into foster care with Karen when I turned eight. Was bounced around until I aged out.”

“Oh, shit.” Kyle didn’t know what to say to that. “…I’m sorry.”

Kenny shrugged again. “It’s not so bad. The families that had us were nice, we had a lot of friends. It wasn’t horrible. But you’ve never heard of the McCormick family in South Park?”

“I moved there when I was eleven,” Kyle said, racking his brains. “We lived on the East Coast beforehand. I don’t remember.” He’d remember. He’d definitely remember. “Where did you live?”

“Right across the train tracks,” Kenny recalled, chewing on a pencil. “Between the forest and the first road into town from the bus stop.”

“You’re kidding,” Kyle said, alarmed. “That’s our house!” Should he be worried? This was getting creepy.

“Uhhhh…” Kenny drew the word out, smiling crookedly. “I doubt it, man. I’m not talking an actual house, we lived in a shack. Right next to the forest. We were literally right next to the tracks.”

“You mean the j-” Kyle bit himself off from saying ‘junkyard’ in a bewildered tone. That place had a shack on it, sure, but it would be a stretch to call it inhabitable.

“Yep.” Kenny was looking back at his paper, slight pink coloring his cheeks. “That place.”

Well no fucking shit, then, no wonder he’d been taken away. Kyle searched for something, anything to say that didn’t involve his opinion of how awful that was. Or how someone like Kenny didn't belong there, someone so sunny and vibrant amongst filth and emptiness.

“Were you and Karen able to stay together?” He asked, and Kenny brightened as he did whenever his sister was mentioned.

“We were, actually,” He said, a faraway kind of look in his face. “She refused to leave me. It made it harder on her, though, I think. She probably would have been adopted quick, she’s smart, cute, sweet. I was kind of a roadblock. But,” He said, twirling the pencil in his hand, “We managed. She’s in school, I am too, and everything is fine. She lives off campus, even, with a roommate.”

Kyle digested all of that. Kenny was smart, cute, and sweet in his own right, but the thought of that made his stomach churn. Instead he went back to writing.

“Still, that’s crazy. South Park. It’s a shame we weren’t there at the same time,” Kyle mentioned, getting Kenny’s attention.

“Hell yeah!” He said, cheering up. “It would’ve been cool to be friends.”

“Yeah,” Kyle said, staring blankly at the next paragraph. He could see it. Kenny’s laid-back personality and sort of raunchy humor next to Kyle’s biting sarcasm and short temper would have been a nice match. He hadn’t had a lot of friends in school. Handful of enemies, being the weird Northeastern Jewish kid meant a lot of people went after him for an easy target, but he’d gotten used to beating the shit out of other people.

It would have been really nice to have Kenny around.

Kyle couldn’t quite bring himself to say it.

Instead, he tapped Kenny’s textbook, bringing his attention back to it. The boy rolled his eyes, leaning over it but keeping his gaze on Kyle.

“So…” He said, and the redhead slowly lifted his eyes to meet blue. “I was reading your review in the paper before class today. I like the way you word things.”

For some reason, that made Kyle blush.

“I used to write for a real newspaper,” Kyle brushed the compliment off, feeling flustered. “As an actual news reporter. Not just a school paper.”

“Yeah?” Kenny looked interested, leaning forward on his elbows. “Like real reporting? What was it like?”

“It was…a lot of fun,” He said, a reluctant smile curving his lips. “Honestly, I’d love to major in it. I was lucky, I was just an intern, at first, but…” He caught himself. He never really told his classmates…or even his family…about how he jumped straight in.

Kenny was still watching though, with too-blue eyes and fascination.

“But?” He prompted gently, voice softening in encouragement. Kyle shrugged his shoulders.

“I had a run-in with one of the heroes of the city,” He said, biting the inside of his cheek. “And…I don’t know. They trusted me, a little, enough that they spoke to me regularly.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Kenny made a ‘time out’ motion with his hands. “That is way too fucking cool to talk about casually. What hero? Part of the duo Wonderstrike or Superstrike? The Coon?”

“First of all, fuck the fucking Coon, that’s not a hero,” Kyle said, eye twitching as he recalled the stories he’d been told by the one person he knew who’d met the guy personally. “And I meant Mysterion, actually.”

Kenny looked at him oddly. “Kyle, Mysterion isn’t a hero.”

Kyle pointed his pencil directly at the boy. “I have at least seven articles I can recall from the top of my head to argue. I was there personally for a lot of it. He’s done more for this city than anyone gives him credit for, but just because he hides in the shadows people have this pre-conceived notion that he’s not a good guy…”

“He uses excessive force,” Kenny pointed out, looking uncomfortable. “Like…breaking spines and shit. And he never works with the police.”

“Which is why, if you have to be _technical_ ,” Kyle said, rolling his eyes. “He’s a vigilante. But remember, I knew him. Personally. His heart is genuinely in a good place. He’s one of the heroes. More so than the Coon, at the very least. Shit.”

Kenny seemed to digest this, tapping his pen against his chin.

“Were you friends?” He asked, sounding genuinely curious.

Kyle hesitated.

Everything he didn’t want to think about was rushing back. That moment in his living room, Mysterion bleeding and falling asleep on his couch. Snuggled into one of Kyle’s blankets. Kissing him, and then telling him he’d never see him again.

And then never talking to Kyle again.

“It’s…not that easy,” He said slowly, staring out one of the large windows. “He doesn’t talk to me anymore.”

Kenny said nothing, and Kyle tried to gather himself back up. Shut the door on everything he’d felt, every ounce of hurt and humiliation he’d encountered.

“So…do I have to like…fight this guy for your affections or something?”

Kenny’s teasing voice made Kyle choke on his own tongue, whirling to see the boy grinning over at him.

“No!” He said, face flaming. “It wasn’t like that!”

Kenny laughed, almost louder than Kyle’s exclamation, having to smother himself in his jacket sleeves, and they were both going to be thrown out of this damn library in a second. Kyle watched him irritably, until the words clicked.

Fight for your affection.

Hold the fuck up.

Kyle’s irritated, embarrassed gaze turned analytical. That was definitely not platonic. Well, Kenny flirted a lot, for fun it seemed, and flirted a whole lot with Kyle. Sometimes blatant: like awful, cheesy pick-up lines before they walked into Starbucks together, drawing flirtatious smiles in class on pieces of paper he shoved into Kyle’s notebook, or subtle: like the comment earlier about how he liked how Kyle wrote, or how he openly called Kyle the smartest kid in class, or the soft kind of smiles he sent his way. Kenny flirted a lot. He thought it was all for play.

Maybe not. That was an odd way to word that tease, when literally anything else would have worked. He could have teased Kyle about his supposed relationship with Mysterion without bringing himself into the mix.

God, his face had to be so red right now.

So what if Kenny meant it? Kyle focused on everything he felt.

The things that came to mind were purple. A strong, lean figure, who turned slowly over his shoulder to glance at Kyle. The fragile trust of someone who was always on the run. Shadows on the rooftops, a fleeting figure in an alley, strength and grace and power. The feeling of a body leaning on him for support, utter and whole faith that Kyle wouldn’t let him down. Chapped lips, purposeful and strong.

But those things were fleeting.

Kyle switched from night to day in his mind. Soft smiles, easy laughter. Genuine interest, good-natured teasing. A lifetime of responsibility and strength of a different sort. An easy, comfortable friendship. Interest in Kyle, and Kyle alone. Not as an informant or smart kid, but as Kyle. Irritable, tired student, worrying Kyle. Who found him smart and funny and injected himself into Kyle’s life and settled there so comfortably his absence would already be felt. Something promising. Strong.

Kyle closed his eyes, summoned the dark figure in his mind again, and let go. For someone he could be sure of a friendship from.

“Do you want to go out sometime?” Kyle blurted, and Kenny’s head shot up from his book.

“What?” He said, quickly and with a somewhat frantic look.

Oh God. Did he read that wrong? Kyle froze.

“…Would you want to go get dinner or something, with me?” He asked, bravely. He didn’t have overly long to angst over it. Kenny was turning red himself.

“…Yes,” He answered, suddenly sounding meek. “I’d…yes. Yep.”

Kenny’s stammering eased Kyle’s nerves, and the boy grinned, face still colored. 

“Good,” He said, hiding his smile in his palm as he propped up his chin. “Pick a night. I’ll take you on a date.”

Kenny was silent, slowly pulling his shirt collar up to cover his lips, like he was trying to hide. Kyle tried not to laugh. Hadn’t expected that, had you, asshole?

He shouldn’t feel this elated. Right? Kyle tried to dredge up any feelings of regret and found barely a sliver. Mysterion was a fantasy, a mask with someone behind it he’d never truly know, or ever befriend. Kenny was real, tangible, with the same kind of morals Kyle admired. The same strength, selflessness, cleverness. Just in someone real. Not someone who existed almost on a different plane, cloaked in mystery and shadow, but a kid who grew up in the same town, who took care of his little sister and went to the same school. Real. 

It was time to put that stupid fantasy behind him.

They studied the rest of the hour in relative silence, Kenny in an amazed sort of delight and Kyle with a comfortable, relaxing sort of happiness.


	3. Apology

Kyle turned over his paper once he was done writing, resting his chin in his hand afterwards. They’d get to compare ideas with a partner once everyone was done. Normally this was reason for him to hate this kind of in-class assignments, but he really lucked out with partners in this class.

He glanced at Kenny, who was chewing on his pencil as he read over what he’d scribbled out. The concentrated, thoughtful expression was cute on him. He didn’t get to see him focused often.

Kyle looked over the rest of the class, not even half done yet. Next to him, Kenny added more words to what he already had, underlining something twice. The kid loved psychology, and with Kyle’s law career and Kenny’s criminology, both were required to not only take this, but a couple sociology classes as well.

It was nice to have someone around. Kyle hadn’t realized how isolated he’d become since he moved away from home. Kenny was good company, Kyle found it was kind of difficult to feel lonely with a bright ray of sunshine constantly attached to your hip.

Said boy leaned slightly to reach Kyle’s paper, and the boy arched an eyebrow at him as he drew a crooked, sad little heart on the corner.

Kenny grinned, pleased he had his attention. He slid his paper over to Kyle, despite the teacher not telling them to exchange pages yet. Kyle went along with it, feeling just a bit smug that he was starting to recognize reasoning behind actions when it came to the blond.

Kenny got bored in class easily and started losing interest the moment things got too quiet or people derailed the conversation. Kyle believed Kenny was incredibly smart, despite his protests that his grades were only so-so. As long as the teacher was talking about something that interested him, Kenny paid rapt attention and recalled information. Honestly, Kyle spent a little too much time in class analyzing Kenny as much as the study material, but he couldn’t quite make himself quit.

Kyle looked over his thoughts on the excerpt they read, Kenny’s analytical and careful commentary focusing on environmental factors as influencers. He was a big believer on nurture over nature, someone’s upbringing and localized environment over genetic factors or predispositions.

Kyle read it over, marking points he wanted Kenny to talk over to explain. This kid was so smart. He had an outlook on things that fascinated Kyle, this entirely negative outlook and yet, Kenny’s disposition made him constantly move on rather than linger. Kenny was a believer that most people were not good people, yet he constantly gave people second chances or the benefit of the doubt, almost contradictory to what he said.

Kenny was fascinating. A vibrant, striking personality, the sun itself in Kyle’s palm. He could not be more thankful that he’d lost his way the first day of class the beginning of the semester.

It gained him a date, eventually. A few dates.

Funny thing about that, Kyle had once resigned himself to be alone forever. He didn’t look for anyone, particularly after meeting Mysterion. (Which he was lately refusing to think about). Kenny snuck up on him. Offered genuine friendship, never pushed, and let Kyle make the decision himself. He didn’t think he’d fall for somebody this quickly before. As if he’d known Kenny for ages. He just fit in with his life perfectly.

He was still musing on that during lunch, where he took the cold day to sit outside in the sunlight, overlooking campus outside the main building. The restaurant inside had a balcony, and considering the chill in the air, no one else was even out here.

Someone kissed Kyle on the top of the head from behind and set his lunch in front of him.

Kyle smiled up at Kenny, having already gotten their drinks before sitting down. The blond plopped into the seat next to him, looking out over the football field.

“You look deep in thought,” Kenny said cheerfully, attacking his sandwich. “What’s up?”

“Just spacing out,” Kyle said, not about to rattle off everything he’d been thinking about him. They weren’t that far into the relationship yet, this had only just started. Let’s not scare Kenny away before they’d even been together two weeks. “You have work tonight?”

“Yep,” Kenny said, relaxing against the back of his chair. “As usual. Oh!” He said, sitting up so abruptly his chair made a horrific squawk against the concrete. “I forgot to tell you, Karen got into her program!”

“The design thing you were talking about last week?” Kyle recalled, enjoying the way Kenny lit up. A smile curved over his lips. “That’s awesome. You said she’d been trying for two semesters now to get in.”

“She’s worked really hard,” He said happily, tucking back into his sandwich. “She deserves this. She was so excited.”

Kyle’s smile just about split his face. Karen was the center of Kenny’s universe. The boy worked twice as hard to support her, inverted every expectation of him just to prove to his sister that, no matter what someone might say to you, they could overcome what they came from.

Kenny was beyond cool.

Kyle had a thought suddenly. “I’ve never seen Karen before,” He said, taking a bite of his chicken sandwich. “Have a picture?”

“’Course,” Kenny said, reaching into his pocket for his phone. He scrolled through his library before turning the phone around and sliding it over to Kyle.

The girl had brown eyes, and brown hair, differing from her brother, but there was something similar in the face. In the smile, slope of the face, the way they looked at the camera. Kenny’s arm was around her, Karen was leaning into her brother’s hug, beaming.

Kyle smiled. “You can tell you’re related,” He mentioned, looking over the picture. “She looks very sweet.”

“She’s a good kid,” Kenny said fervently. “She’d think you’re cool.”

“Well, I’ll forgive her bad judgment,” Kyle said, smiling as Kenny choked on his sandwich. “Careful,” He mentioned, trying not to laugh himself.

“Cool or not, at least you’ve got a sense of humor,” Kenny congratulated him, and Kyle rolled his eyes with a smile.

He pulled his phone out as well, pulling up a recent picture of his baby brother.

“That’s Ike,” He said, as Kenny interestedly took the phone. “That was the day I graduated. He’s just a kid, and kind of an asshole, but he’s great.”

“You said he was smart,” Kenny recalled. “Must be a prerequisite of being a Broflovski. You ended up with the redheaded genes, huh?”

“Unfortunately,” Kyle had long since become resigned to being ginger. “But Ike’s actually adopted. He became my brother when he was just a baby.”

“That’s cool,” Kenny mused, eyes crinkling in a smile. He sent Kyle a sideways, affectionate look. “And redheads are cute, Kyle.”

Kyle kicked him, not near enough to actually hurt, turning red in the face as well as hair. “I’m not fishing for compliments, Kenny,” He awkwardly reassured. He didn’t mean to sound desperate or something.

Kenny’s smile warmed to something genuine. “And I’m not saying anything not genuine.”

Kyle’s face felt hot. Kenny looked back at the picture again, handing it over when it switched to the next picture, simply Kyle during the morning graduation pictures with his family. Kenny quickly took it back.

“Hey!” Kyle protested.

“I’ve never seen you in a suit,” Kenny batted his hands away as he whistled, eyes twinkling as he teased. “Look at you. You’re one handsome bastard, Kyle Broflovski.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Kyle hissed, covering his burning cheeks with his hands. That was…the wrong thing to say. Kenny’s smile turned into a smirk.

Oh god.

“I saw you for the first time and thought to myself-”

Kyle was covering his face. “Kenny, please-”

“What a damned _sexy_ boy.” Kenny gestured with his phone, expression serious and eyes sparkling. “Intellect and looks and a fire. Yum.”

“I’m going to pitch you over the balcony,” Kyle groaned from inside the sanctuary of his hoodie. “They can pick you up off the football field.”

Kenny’s seriousness was breaking, he was starting to giggle. “C’mon Kyle. You know you’re hot.”

“I hate you,” Kyle grumbled, lips twitching into a smile.

“No, you don’t.” Kyle felt his phone slip under his hand. “You think I’m cute, too.”

There, a switch flipped. Kyle’s heart jumped. “ _Kenny._ ” This was getting embarrassing, fast. Kyle lifted his face, red and teeth grit, and Kenny’s expression changed.

“Oh.” The blond suddenly looked…almost scared. “Fuck. Kyle, I’m sorry-”

“It’s fine,” He said, shoving his phone back in his pocket with ferocity. Kenny reached for his hand, squeezing it. Kyle reluctantly glanced at him.

“No, I’m really sorry,” Kenny apologized, looking distraught. “I forget. You’re not- you’re not really used to me, yet. I just…feels like I’ve known you for longer than I have. I guess.” Something flickered over his face, briefly. “I get too comfortable.”

Kyle’s face was on fire. “It’s cool. It’s fine. I just, what, do I come off as desperate or something?”

Kenny snorted at that, coughing to cover it. “No. You don’t.” He picked up the hand he was holding, placing a quick kiss on it. “I was the one after you, don’t forget. If any of us was desperate, it was entirely me. You can make fun of me for it.” 

“I’ll pass,” Kyle just wanted to stop talking about it. This was bringing up memories and it was making him feel a bit sick.

Kenny was watching him oddly, carefully letting go of his hand. He looked genuinely upset, which made Kyle feel worse. “I’m really sorry, Kyle.”

“Stop,” He didn’t want Kenny kicking himself. “Look, it’s just… I’ve been stupid before. I don’t like talking about it.”

The analytical part of Kenny switched on. Kyle saw it as obviously as a physical swap. Blue eyes narrowed, oddly enough making his stomach swoop.

“…I doubt you were ever stupid,” He said, seeming to choose his words carefully. “But this have something to do with your villain boyfriend?”

“He’s a _vigilante_ ,” Kyle hissed, heart picking up. His hands felt clammy. “And if I say yes, will you leave it alone forever?”

Kenny watched him, brows furrowed.

“If you were interested in him,” He said cautiously, “He’d probably have thought himself a lucky weirdo, Kyle. You’re…incredible.”

The Jewish student exhaled, shakily. “He stopped talking to me because I was stupid.”

“What?!” Kenny blurted, incredulous. “No.”

“Look you have no idea what happened!” Kyle said, words tumbling over themselves in frustration. “He was hurt, I helped him home, he said I wasn’t acting professionally and he left.”

“Well fuck that guy,” Kenny said, alarmed. “That’s on him.”

“No,” Kyle dragged his hands over his face. “He knew I liked him. ‘Infatuated,’ was the word he used. I just wanted to help. He didn’t seem to have anyone, he was hurt and I thought we were friends. He humiliated me, and then he kissed me.”

Kenny was quiet. Oh god. Kyle wanted to die. He poised himself, uncovering his face with such determined ferocity that his palms slapped the table.

“I’m sorry, that’s probably not what you want to hear,” Kyle struggled to think of what to say to someone he was dating-ish when he mentioned kissing city’s heroes.

Kenny, however, merely looked determined.

“That, in no way, made you look desperate or weak or anything,” He interrupted Kyle with ferocity. Kyle stared. “You’re allowed to like people, Kyle. I know you. You’d never take advantage of someone or push them into something they wouldn’t want. If he embarrassed you, that was just him being a shitty person. That had nothing to do with what you felt.”

“Let me finish,” Kenny said when Kyle tried to interrupt. “Please, sweetheart.” The endearment caught Kyle off guard, and his mouth closed. He wasn't sure how to feel about that. 

“I can picture you, so easily, being some kind of informant or help and assisting a ‘hero’ in whatever tasks they have. What I absolutely know, is that whatever went down wasn’t your fault. He was a jerk for embarrassing you, and the fact he kissed you, before disappearing?” Kenny shook his head, looking back over the football field. “Was a dick move. One he has to be seriously regretting. How much of a jackass do you have to be, to point out the innocent feelings of a friend, take advantage of them by _kissing_ that person, and then disappearing from their life altogether so you think it’s your fault. That’s awful, Ky. But that’s not on you.”

Kyle was again rendered speechless by Kenny’s insight. His penchant for the human mind, again, analyzing Mysterion this time. He went over the words for a while first, quiet.

“He said we weren’t friends,” Kyle admitted, trying to find one last fault in Kenny’s argument.

“You probably saved lives on hundreds of occasions with that man,” Kenny said, oddly cool. “You were at the very least his friend. Why else would he kiss you?”

Kyle didn’t have the answer to that. He’d never been able to come up with a satisfactory, logical reason.

“He liked you,” Kenny thought to himself. “Otherwise it wouldn’t make sense. You aren’t desperate and have nothing to be embarrassed about. Mysterion is an asshole. Not you, not at all. You're allowed to like someone, Kyle. That doesn't make you desperate. What if it were me?" He shrugged, lifting a hand. "If I liked you and you pointed it out to me, threw it back in my face and told me I wasn't acting professionally just for being _nice_ to you, does that make me desperate or you an asshole?"

Huh. Kyle took a moment to digest that. Kenny let him, leaning against the table, barely brushing Kyle's elbow. 

"You know,” The taller boy's smile was back then, replacing the quiet, irritated look. “Makes sense that you'd work to make the city a better place, actually. I think you’d actually be a really great hero. Smart, sharp-witted, genuinely good-hearted. Not holding out any secrets on me, are you?”

“No,” Kyle said, somewhat dazed. Oddly enough…that actually did make him feel better. To hear that he wasn’t just crazy, that wasn’t normal behavior and it was kind of nonsensical. Dark purples and grey were imprinted in his mind, but they didn’t cause the same amount of panic as they had previously. The crushing weight around his ribcage eased, not that he didn’t still feel embarrassed.

“I…” He started, then changed his mind. “Thank you,” He said instead, awkwardly. Kenny smiled. “I know that was kind of a weird topic to throw at you.” 

“Not at all,” Kenny said genuinely, and reached for Kyle’s hand. “If something’s bothering you, I’d like to help, if I can. We’re…boyfriends at this point, right?” He checked with Kyle, who nodded slightly, flushed but pleased. “So don’t worry. Practically in the job description. Listen to problems, even if they contain stories of asshole superhero exes.”

“Oh, shut up,” Kyle said, but no venom was in it. Kenny leaned over to kiss his cheek. Okay. Maybe he hadn’t been at fault for that whole fiasco. He had only been trying to help, after all. He worried about him for ages afterwards. He still checked the media to make sure he was okay. Sightings of him were still reported and such.

Kyle gently tugged Kenny back to press a kiss against his lips, leaving the blond looking surprised but delighted. He was kind of surprised Kenny was so okay with this all, but it was a little relieving. He took that in stride.

“Thanks, Ken,” He said, and Kenny more or less nuzzled up against him. The blond, kindly, switched the topic back to a safe one. Their siblings, and ridiculous stories of being kids. Kyle leaned into his side, feeling lighter than he had in ages.

Maybe he could start to leave this behind, now.

One thing that was easier to leave behind, for certain, was the reason for Mysterion to be throwing things in his face. Leaning against Kenny, Kyle found it hard to believe Mysterion was even on the same level. Yes, he'd been a hero. Powerful, strong, resilient, and good. But so was Kenny. And Kenny didn't mind vulnerability. Kenny brought cheer and jokes and lifted Kyle out of something that bothered him for months. All because he cared about Kyle, because he didn't like him thinking badly of himself. 

Kyle listened to his chatter, fingers intertwined with Kenny's.


	4. Destruction

Kyle was no stranger to the world of superheroes. Ever since he moved, he’d become attentive to the rise of people with powers or pronounced abilities. The city seemed to be where they all gathered, either to meet others like them or fight. When two ultra-powers held a duel the city more or less ran for cover.

Before they became a duo, WonderStrike and SuperStrike had a major clash two days before the New Year. It was very unevenly matched: WonderStrike was an Elemental and SuperStrike was a low-tier brawler…the only thing that kept Wonder from winning outright was his inability to properly control his powers. It ended in more or less a draw, with minor damage done.

Afterwards, people began seeing the two similarly-named heroes milling around together before officially declaring themselves two parts of a team. WonderStrike, almost magically, seemed to harness his powers into something fierce and the other seemed to gain some odd sort of connected power to the other boy. People whispered that it went a bit deeper than a platonic team-up, but Kyle left that part to the muckrakers down in the gossip columns. He reported on the fight itself.

It had been the first hero brawl he’d ever seen on his own.

They weren’t all that common. Some picked more fights than others, most left each other alone or amicably teamed up. Mysterion, for one, was never part of that. He had minor spats with some of the others but never a full on fight. No life or death shit. Both Super and Wonder were heroes in their own right, Kyle wasn’t even sure Mysterion had ever met them. He certainly didn’t think about it much, certainly not recently, until the campus went on lockdown the moment he pulled into the parking lot.

Parked in one of the science building’s ‘green’ parking spaces reserved for high-efficiency vehicles, Kyle was close enough to the university’s dorms to see kids leaving in droves, many quickly being shoo’d back to their homes by campus police.

Alright. Probably safe to say he wasn’t going to be late for class.

Kyle didn’t get it, at first. Uncertain and somewhat terrified, he opened up his phone, searching for news of a fire or something. The campus police look too bored for it to be anything truly awful, and the kids were actively trying to look at something. Kyle searched for posts made by people on campus.

A short video, one with Mysterion facing off against the Coon. They seemed to be talking, the stout power trying to argue and Mysterion speaking in tones inaudible. That was over by the football field, where he’d had lunch with Kenny just about every day this week.

Kyle made a dumb decision.

They hadn’t blocked off the roads, yet. Kyle parked his car and began filming the second he stepped out of his car. He wasn’t missing this. The thrill of being back in the midst of everything again was back, a promise of heroes and action and things no one really understood. Kyle had been good at this. Good enough that he was sought out by Mysterion, the most aloof and detached person to roam the city…

Kyle took a breath. Stop. His nerves were skyrocketing. He wished Kenny were there, he hadn’t even come across any of the heroes yet, though by the way he spoke about them he seemed to think they were cool. He could use his calming presence at the moment, especially considering he might talk to Mysterion again after this. Maybe.

He didn’t know what he was supposed to be feeling.

Everything was too quiet. Why was no one else here? Was it really that frightening or new? Was something else happening in the city for police not to be on them already? Kyle said nothing, despising the kinds of videos that had nobodies blathering on about what they saw, and slipped through to the bleachers.

“-Pull me out here, for?” The Coon was complaining, in a voice that for some reason made Kyle cringe. “I was _helping_ -”

“You need to leave this place alone,” Mysterion was saying, and Kyle realized they were just literally standing on the bleachers.

What a lame shot, he wanted them in the middle of the football field, staring each other down. Not talking on the bleachers like teenagers.

“You’re not even supposed to be out in the daytime,” The Coon sneered, and Kyle could see him cross his arms, steel claws tapping along his arm bracers. “Aren’t you, like, nocturnal or something?”

“I am always around somewhere,” Mysterion spoke coolly, and yes, even now Kyle found himself shivering. “You should remember that. Don’t ever assume that I am not watching you.”

“Well what’s your deal? I’m just taking a detour. Thought I’d hang with the kids, I’m not even doing anything.”

“This place,” Mysterion growled, fists clenched, “This place, you leave alone. Don’t ever come here again. In or out of costume. I’ll know.”

“Yeah, what are you, my Mom?” The Coon replied, jeeringly. “You’re not the boss of us, you know. You’re not even a real hero. You’re one of the old guys, no one likes you and you’re on your way out. You gotta stay relevant-”

“This isn’t a popularity contest!” Mysterion snarled, raising his voice. “I take my job seriously! You leave these kids alone!”

Kyle didn’t understand. Why did it matter whether some half-assed hero walked around with the college kids? Admittedly, he didn’t know much about the Coon but what he was proving here: a pompous, self-centered ass in it for the publicity. This hardly warranted a campus shutdown. He was just a fucking idiot.

Kyle leaned against one of the supports under the bleachers, debating turning off the recording. He glanced down at the phone, listening to Mysterion quarrel. He still felt the sting of embarrassment and rejection. Kenny might claim Kyle was cool, and yes it might have been mostly on Mysterion for the bad parting, but he still felt like an idiot himself.

“Or what?” The Coon taunted, and Kyle looked up to see he didn’t even look worried that he was staring down the city’s most feared villain.

Ah. That’s why they shut down campus. Mysterion.

“Don’t even try to goad me,” Mysterion spoke coolly. “You’re not worth the blood you’d get on my uniform.”

“Yeah. Wouldn’t want to get that Goodwill Getup damaged,” The ‘hero’ spoke flatly. “I’m not leaving. You’re the one they’re scared of. You leave.”

“Get off campus,” Mysterion said, and Kyle had just about enough. He shoved his phone in his pocket, walking back to the aisle.

“Make me,” The Coon replied, and Kyle hopped onto the bleachers and leaned against the railing, pissed.

Both heroes paused and stared, oddly enough both with equal parts of amazement. As if Kyle were the last person on the planet they expected.

“Kyle!” Mysterion sounded as close to horrified as he ever had, but the Coon just about burst into sunshine.

“ _Kal?_ ” He said incredulous delight, and the redhead froze.

How he hadn’t recognized his old frenemy, he wasn’t sure. Cartman had been one of his first ‘friends,’ until the harassment came to blows.

“Cartman?!” Kyle was in disbelief. There was no way, no way that fatass somehow actually became one of the city’s heroes. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“What the fuck are you doing? Wait-” Cartman pointed from Kyle to Mysterion with one pointed claw. “Are you two…is _this_ why you wanted me to leave?” He asked Mysterion, sounding like his birthday had come early. “Kal, you fuckin’ the city’s grungy boy?”

Well, now he knew for a fact Cartman didn’t read newspapers.

“I’m a reporter!” Kyle wanted to get back on track. “How are you-”

“Kyle, go home,” Mysterion ordered him at the same time Cartman spoke.

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“I’m not going anywhere!” Kyle snapped at the vigilante and the Coon raised both hands.

“That’s what I told him,” He confided to Kyle. “This really your type? Get all hot for the dark and mysterious, Jew-boy?”

“Don’t refer to him like that,” Mysterion was again spoken over, this time by Kyle. 

“Just answer my fucking question before I kick your ass back up the mountains,” Kyle took steps up the bleachers as he spoke, face red hot. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m saving the city, what are you doing, Kal?” Cartman crossed his arms, looking like a child on the playground. “I don’t see you in a uniform risking your life for the city.”

“I don’t see you risking your life for the city, either,” Kyle pointed out with a sneer, and Mysterion took a threatening step towards Kyle.

“I told you to leave,” He said, menacingly. Kyle was unimpressed.

“I thought we weren’t friends,” He snapped, stepping towards him as well, without fear. Cartman actually looked somewhat impressed. “Why don’t you fuck off, already?”

Mysterion actually flinched, and the other ‘hero’ slapped his forehead.

“My bad, guys, I got it backwards,” He said, carefully avoiding his own claws. “That’s a strange one, Mysty. What’s Kal got for you?”

Kyle was red, but held Mysterion’s gaze. The vigilante dropped his, infuriating him.

“Not interested,” He said, coldly, reveling in the flush of power. Not friends, were they. Next time don’t make fun of someone and kiss them before leaving forever. “Now both of you get out of here. You put us on lockdown for this shit!” He whirled most of his accusation at Mysterion, who was staring up at the balcony above the field. “If I can’t retake my test I’m going to kill both of you myself.”

“I see you haven’t changed,” Cartman scoffed. “You still suckin’ principals’ dicks for grades or what?”

“Shut up, Cartman,” Mysterion said, in such a low voice that Kyle froze. Oh. They were…bordering on trouble, now.

“You,” Kyle got into Mysterion’s space and the vigilante seemed to stiffen. “Are making things worse. Get out of here so they can lift the ban.”

Mysterion seemed frozen.

“I can handle this, Kal,” The Coon said regally. “I am a hero, you know.”

“No, you aren’t, and I’m reporting you as soon as I get this asshole out of here,” Kyle said without looking. “Maybe they can charge you with extreme idiocy and fuckassery.”

“What!?” Cartman squawked, and Kyle grit his teeth, years of irritation and anger screeching at him to just deck the guy.

“You. Are playing pretend with things you don’t fucking understand,” Kyle said, voice low and smooth and promise swift, swift death. He was inches away from wringing his fat fucking neck. “You are not a hero. You’re an incompetent, fat loser trying to cash out on suffering for your own gain, just like you always have.” 

Cartman looked at him for a second.

And then he swung.

Kyle was on a lower step than he was, easily ducking out of reach, but Mysterion’s final string of patience snapped. With an inhuman snarl, he grabbed the Coon by the collar, throwing him back against the metal bleachers.

It was a stupid move, earning him some new gashes on his upper arm, but he didn’t even seem to notice.

“ **You do NOT touch Kyle,** ” Something was wrong with his voice, Kyle shoved his way in between them.

“What makes you think I need your help?” He snapped at Mysterion, green eyes flashing. “I’ll kick his ass myself, fuck off!”

Cartman was wiping his face, bleeding, and pissed. He wasn’t even a threat here, unable to touch someone like Kyle who was quick on his feet and on essentially, tall stairs. He’d be exhausted in minutes.

“Look, I’m sorry,” Mysterion was saying, quickly and quietly. “For what I did and said to you. That wasn’t fair to you. It’s my fault.”

Something prickled in the back of his mind.

“What?” Kyle said, at the same moment Cartman wobbled up.

“I’ll kill you for that,” He hissed, and Mysterion whirled.

Kyle caught his arm. The vigilante could have shrugged him off, but stopped anyhow, staring at the redhead as he spoke.

“Don’t,” Kyle said, icily. “If you’re sorry, don’t.”

He hadn’t been this close to the man in ages. He saw Mysterion clench his jaw before answering.

“That’s not fair,” He murmured, and Kyle tightened his grip.

“Are you sorry?” He asked, as Cartman steadied himself. Mysterion couldn’t afford to make himself look less in the eyes of the public. He was already being hunted.

He could see him swallow.

“Back off,” Kyle told him, and Mysterion finally looked at him again.

Kyle stared. Something was…wrong. Off. About his face. His mind couldn’t connect it to Mysterion…even though it was clearly Mysterion. And if-

As Kyle’s attention drifted, sharp, pristine claws sliced through Mysterion’s face as easily as if it were softened butter. The vigilante screamed in rage, blood pouring from his face.

Cartman looked as startled and horrified as Kyle was, freezing in place and leaving himself open.

Kyle let go of Mysterion briefly and caught him off-balance with a kick. He stumbled back, Kyle flying up the last three steps to evenly match him. Cartman was larger but Kyle was fast, once Cartman was actually down he whirled to look at Mysterion.

His face…was _peeled _. He was clutching at it, blood pouring, the knives had sliced through the cartilage of his _nose,_ Kyle stumbled back down to crouch next to him.__

__“Go, go, get out of here,” Mysterion was saying, voice stretched with pain. “I’ll heal, I heal, please, Kyle, leave-”_ _

__“Holy shit,” Kyle whispered, probably the least helpful thing he could say at the moment. He felt sick. “I am not leaving you.”_ _

__Mysterion was already leaning on him at this point, body twitching._ _

__“If I die, I’ll come back,” He panted, shuddering against Kyle. “It’s my secret. I live. Always live. Go, Ky, please, don’t get hurt-”_ _

__Kyle wasn’t sure how much of that was truth. And anyhow, Mysterion was practically in his arms at this point, bleeding all over his clothes._ _

__“You promise you heal, you regenerate?” He said, and Mysterion was groaning as he nodded in assent. “Can you move? How long does it take?”_ _

__The vigilante wasn’t answering. Kyle picked his phone from his pocket with shaking hands, trying to decide what to do._ _

__**Kyle B: I don’t know if you’re in lockdown but I need your help. Right now. Football field. Where are you?** _ _

__He was supposed to meet Kenny for class. He might be stuck in the science building, but he was innovative. He’d find a way out. He couldn’t carry Mysterion down the steps, and there had to be people on their way right now._ _

__Kenny wasn’t answering. Wasn’t he wondering where Kyle was? The redhead closed his eyes, trying to think._ _

__“Get up,” He told Mysterion. Just like last time. “You can lean on me, but you have to stand. I can’t carry you down the bleachers on my own.”_ _

__The man seemed to want to help, blearily shifting an arm over his shoulder. More or less Kyle had to lift him up to a standing position, jaw clenched under the effort._ _

__“Bathroom…east exit,” Mysterion was slurring. “No cameras.”_ _

__Okay. Okay, good. Shorter distance. Only Mysterion couldn’t make the step, stumbling and falling until Kyle caught him. Great, so blood loss, excellent. He better be getting on that regeneration fucking fast as shit._ _

__“Change of plans, I’m carrying you,” Kyle said wearily, having to force a fireman pickup from the side. Mysterion was heavy, the cloak was in his way, wet blood continued to seep into his clothing._ _

__Mysterion seemed preoccupied with keeping his eyeballs inside his head, not complaining as Kyle carried him down the stairs. He wasn’t going to be able to keep up for long, but the bathroom was close and Kyle trusted him as they ducked inside, slowly lowering him onto the dirty tile._ _

__Mysterion was breathing shallowly, and had pulled his mask entirely over his eyes. It was soaked in blood, the jagged tears showing almost more than Kyle could stomach._ _

__He slowly sank to the ground, legs aching, and went to Kenny’s contact again. Boy, wasn’t this just going to be a test of the relationship. If they made it through this, he was bringing the boy home to meet his mother. He could handle her after what he was about to ask right now._ _

__Kyle listened to the phone ring, panting against the concrete wall._ _

__Why could he hear the phone ringing?_ _

__Kyle stared at the corner stall. Some abandoned backpack had been sitting there and he hadn’t care to pay attention to it. Only now that his attention was focused, he could see the silver duct tape wrapped around one strap._ _

__Slowly, the entire picture began to click together._ _

__Kyle abandoned both the bleeding hero and his phone, reaching to drag out the backpack. He could still hear the ringtone._ _

__He unzipped the front pocket, pulling out Kenny’s phone. He clicked it on, just to be sure. Karen smiled back at him from the lock screen._ _

__The bag held his books. And clothes._ _

__Kyle slowly zipped the bag back up. He looked over the vigilante. Everything felt suddenly surreal. The gasping breaths echoing in the bathroom, his clothes sticking to him in places where blood had seeped through Mysterion’s mask. The tall, lanky hero._ _

__Kyle slowly stood, walking to stand over him. Mysterion didn’t even seem to notice._ _

__He stooped beside him, hands shaking._ _

__Kyle wasn’t afraid._ _

__He pulled back the hood, not even getting a reaction. With none of the careful tenderness he’d previously held, he ripped off the mask._ _

__Mysterion cried out at that, the blood having dried enough to have stuck in some places. Kyle didn’t even bat an eyelash._ _

__Blond hair was stained almost strawberry with blood, deep gashes disguised the face but not enough. It told Kyle what he wanted to know. What he needed confirmation on._ _

__If the Coon being Cartman had been a shock, Kyle didn’t have words for this._ _

__Kenny must have passed out on the bleachers, because he didn’t stir. He couldn’t exactly close his eyes at the moment, but he wasn’t awake._ _

__It was Kenny._ _

__Mysterion was Kenny. Kenny was Mysterion._ _

__Kyle couldn’t process it._ _

__It didn’t make sense. The two were so polar in who they were. Kenny was nothing like Mysterion. Except for the morals. And height. And how fond he’d ended up being for him._ _

__Kyle took a breath._ _

__He’d been an idiot. This entire time, Kenny had been playing around with what he felt. Listening so attentively to tales about Mysterion, knowing all along…the whole fiasco with him leaving, and for what? To show up again later as a civilian and prey on Kyle’s broken heart?_ _

__He stood, feeling dizzy. He caught himself on one of the sinks, staring into the mirror._ _

__Kyle slammed his hand into it, not even cracking it._ _

__Hand stinging, he whipped around, stepping over the prone figure without looking twice. He was shaking._ _

__“You regenerate,” He hissed at him, eyes stinging. “So fuck you.”_ _

__He picked up his phone and didn’t turn around. Everything was disconnected. Wrong. So his short-time boyfriend happened to be a manipulative liar. Par for the course in college, really._ _

__Kyle walked back to his car, enraged and wearing a sweater destroyed by blood._ _


	5. Truce

Kyle missed the rest of his classes that day. He went back to his home, showered and changed, throwing his blood-soaked sweater into the garbage. Everything was done with an autopilot type of mindset, tired and dazed and shocked.

He stared down at the sweater, water still dripping from his hair. Blood.

Mysterion’s blood.

Kenny’s blood.

He left the bathroom, sinking down onto his couch to just lay on his stomach, feeling blank and empty. One of the blankets he’d covered Mysterion with was still on it. The pain of it all was sharp now and mingled with fear.

Why?

What was he trying to do? What did he have to gain? Why leave his life entirely just to come back as his alter ego? And which one was the ‘real’ man? Kenny acted nothing like Mysterion, aside from both being bright and their connection with him. Why that connection? It didn’t make sense. None of it made sense. Kyle felt like he was slowly losing his mind.

How far did this go back? Had he been a stalker? 

His phone blipped cheerfully.

He looked over at it. It had to be about an hour or so since he left campus. Regeneration. And some weird shit about resurrection?

He should just turn it off. Not answer it. Don’t get up.

Kyle was already on his way to it.

**Kenny M: I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I just wanted to protect you and I fucked up. Let me know you’re okay, please. I’m sorry, Kyle, I shouldn’t have done this to you.**

Kyle slammed his phone back down.

He leaned against the counter, covering his face. No, he didn’t want Kenny to be soft and apologetic. His skin was crawling. Kenny sounded upset just from the text alone. He wasn’t even using the dumb slang he normally did, that bothered him.

More texts and calls came in the next twenty minutes as Kyle laid on the couch, silently watching with a stony expression.

**Kenny M: I should have told you the truth from the beginning and I’m sorry.**

**Kenny M: Kyle?**

**Kenny M: I didn’t want to put you in danger but I did anyway.**

**Kenny M: I’m coming over.**

Kyle narrowed his eyes at the last one and texted back, quick and final.

**Kyle B: Don’t.**

There was an instantaneous response.

**Kenny M: Then come meet me. Or pick up the phone.**

**Kyle B: Do not come anywhere near my fucking house.** That alarmed him, sending his pulse spiking. Mysterion knew where he lived.

Kenny called again but Kyle picked up this time, ready.

“Who the fuck even are you?” He said, sitting up on the couch. “Stay the fuck away from me.”

“Kyle, let me explain-” Kenny began, and Kyle threw up his free hand.

“Explain, then!” He snapped, and there was dead silence on the phone. “Well? Go ahead, fuckshit. What were you trying to do?”

“I- yes,” Kenny’s voice was softer. It just occurred to Kyle that he had left him in…poor condition. Not that he cared, and he was clearly alive. He cringed, trying to clear his mind. Just listen.

“I…am Mysterion,” Kenny whispered, as if it were still a secret. “You know what that means. No matter what you think of me, I tangle with the worst of the worst.” 

Kyle said nothing.

“I shouldn’t have gotten you involved in the first place,” He said, quietly. “That was my fault. I liked your input. Things were easier with you. You…you kept me upright, your outlook on life was different, you kept Mysterion from becoming what everyone said he was. You kept me on the right path. I felt like I needed you.”

He paused, but Kyle bit down on his tongue. Don’t say a fucking word.

“Mysterion fell in love with you,” Kenny admitted, when Kyle didn’t speak. Kyle closed his eyes. “Honestly. But I was afraid to get you hurt.”

“So why show up again?” Kyle finally couldn’t keep himself quiet. “Why show up as ‘Kenny’ at my school?”

“Well I already went to the school,” He said awkwardly, but Kyle wasn’t done.

“Does Karen even exist? You didn’t really come from South Park, did you?” Kyle accused.

“I did, she does, everything I told you was true,” Kenny promised, a bit frantically. 

“Do you realize what it sounds like now?” Kyle coldly threw back at him. “I’m not even sure I can sleep here tonight. You’ll come break off the locks of my home or some shit.”

Kenny was quiet, but Kyle could hear him breathing.

“I didn’t tell you who I was,” Kenny said quietly, “But that’s as far as me lying went. Everything else is true. I'd never hurt you, not ever. I know it’s hard to trust me now, but-”

“What were you trying to do?” Kyle demanded. “Why this whole fucking thing?”

Another pause, with Kenny sounding incredulous. “I…loved you,” He said, and Kyle grit his teeth. “I missed you. It was selfish but I didn’t want you hurt. I wanted to be friends.”

Kyle wanted to tell him it was stupid. He opened his mouth to do so and immediately closed his mouth again. He swallowed.

“What, do you want me to forgive you?” Kyle bit, going for a lesser hurt.

“I’m not asking you to do anything,” Kenny said, sounding irritated for the first time.

“Then what do you want?”

“I don’t know!” The blond said, something thunking in the background. “I don’t…I don’t know.”

They were both quiet. Kyle pressed a hand against his forehead. _I loved you_. So… all this…

“You were-”

The whole time, Kenny had been behind the mask. Knew Kyle was infatuated with Mysterion, and listened to him talk about the hero and said nothing about the truth. Played around with what he felt, what he thought, pretending to meet Kyle for the first time even though he knew so much about him.

“I just…how fucking _dare_ you-” It was creepy, it was deceitful, Kyle didn’t know how to even articulate. All this history he had with both Mysterion and Kenny, destroyed. Forever. He could never really be sure anymore that he was being told the truth. Kyle’s throat constricted.

“I know.” Kenny did sound more like Mysterion now, quiet and unemotional. It pissed him off.

“I suppose you’re okay now?” Kyle asked, something in his voice drawling.

Kenny paused before offering a careful, “Yes.”

“Good. If I ever see or hear from you again, you can explain to Karen why you’re sitting in a fucking jail cell.”

And then Kyle hung up.

He wasn’t going to tell anyone the identity of Mysterion. Not outright, he’d set up some things in case he went…missing.

After so long defending Mysterion, Kyle now felt unnerved to think of being on his bad side.

And yet he couldn’t quite bring himself to…

In all honesty, he almost believed Kenny. Almost. That Kenny didn’t mean harm. However, even if this was totally harmless, was just Kenny- Mysterion’s- way of acting on ‘love,’ that didn’t make this right. It didn’t mean he wasn’t mad as hell. He needed to be left alone. Just…alone. Just for now. If nothing happened, he’d stay where he was at. But…

Kyle began packing his bags for a surprise weekend at home. Just in case. Just to get out of town. He’d tell his parents he had the day off on his way there.

He threw out his sweater before he left, not wanting to even see if it would be salvageable. He’d never get all the blood out.

\--

Kenny didn’t text him again. Kyle woke up early the next morning and checked his phone. For what, he wasn’t exactly certain. Another apology would have just pissed him off. His heart still ached and he checked the news back home again. And again. Coon escaped custody for unknown reasons but was being questioned. Mysterion fled the scene. Kyle was bound to be contacted once they reviewed the tapes, his old editor would be panting to get the story out to the public.

Kyle turned off his phone entirely.

He sat up, looking around what used to be his room. His parents used it as a guest room now, painted the walls a quiet grey and matched it with bright furniture. Any trace of him living here had been erased. It made him feel just a bit cold.

Kyle slipped out of bed and grabbed a jacket.

He snuck downstairs, zipping up the jacket and slipping on his shoes. He’d slipped his phone back into his pocket, even though it stayed off. Last thing he needed was Ike peeking into his personal life for some good blackmail material while he was outside.

He needed a walk. And he had kind of an idea where he wanted to go. Thankfully, no one was up yet to question where Kyle was going almost before the sun. The college boy managed to get outside without incident and started walking down the sidewalk.

Everyone he hung out with no longer lived here. They were all off to different parts of the state, the country, their houses behind him were not what he was looking for. What he was looking for was ahead, surrounded by a chain-link fence and with garbage everywhere.

Kyle took a glance behind him before hopping over the fence, jumping to clear most of the dangerous debris and shoving his hands in his pockets as he walked onward.

It almost felt like grief. Like he was grieving the loss of Kenny. He just gained a friend, a boyfriend, someone he genuinely _liked_ and so quickly and easily fell into his life and made it better.

Kenny was sweet, he liked listening, he craved attention and affection and liked anything to do with people and loved having classes with Kyle. He was flirtatious, cheerful, considerate. He cared about his sister more than anything, worked to support her and him both, which Kyle admired greatly.

And, had things been different, Kyle could have found himself admiring his choice to be a vigilante.

Skirting past just piles upon piles of garbage, he probably should have changed before starting his exploration. Something better than baggy clothes. Regardless, he still managed to come across the shack.

It was not near big enough for four people, much less five, as Kenny had told Kyle he had an older brother who was going to school in California. He didn’t even dare go inside, the place might fall down around his ears.

Kyle leaned against an old car as he looked at it, not minding the dirt being ground into his clothing.

He couldn’t imagine being born here. Just down the street, being the lowest tier and made fun of. Kenny made sure no one messed with Karen. Kyle wasn’t surprised.

He’d been in awe of Mysterion, he’d admired Kenny. He could see what a fascinating story he had, coming from nothing and becoming a hero for his sister, a hero for the city.

If he’d just sat him down and _explained_. None of this weird lying, deceiving. Told him right off the bat who he was, if Mysterion…

Mysterion had always been Kenny. That thought still blew his mind. All that time, every thing that ever happened, had been Kenny behind the mask.

The vigilante that broke bones, fought crime bosses, had been caught on fire and kept coming for a man like a demon from hell, had been that silly boy who whistled at Kyle when he did something dumb like drop his pencil in class, who loved sweet drinks and giving Kyle sweet kisses, the carefree, loving kid who blushed if his flirtatious were returned or Kyle so much as kissed him unexpectedly.

The entire time, Mysterion had loved him. Had viewed Kyle almost like someone to guide him, which explained why he had come by so often. To get another outlook, run a plan by him and see if he was taking a good standpoint. He trusted him, grew to care about him. Left because he didn’t want Kyle in danger and that fucking moron just waltzed back in as if Kenny had no ties to any of it.

Mysterion loved him. Kenny loved him.

Kyle covered his face. He’d poured out his heart to Kenny about what happened with Mysterion. His reaction made sense, now. He’d been awkward himself, in love and afraid, kissing Kyle just once, just before leaving forever.

Oh god, he’d gushed to Kenny so many times to try and convince the guy that Mysterion was one of the city’s good guys. He’d went on and on about him, like a schoolboy crush, and Kenny had just listened to his idiot self basically drool over _him_.

Somehow that was even more embarrassing than just gushing to his boyfriend about another guy.

And the whole time, he’d loved him.

“Goddamn it, Kenneth,” Kyle muttered. And he thought he was emotionally challenged. What a fucking moron.

Kenny wasn’t going to hurt him. Whatever was going on, Kenny wasn’t going to hurt him. More honestly, he’d left to keep him from showing up. He didn’t really feel too much like forgiveness right now, not with it being so…weird. Raw.

Still, Kyle reached into his pocket for his phone. He clicked it on, immediately being bombarded.

Fuckin shit.

Calls, text messages, from tons of people. Mostly from his old boss. Kenny was still radio silent, and a series of messages from a number he didn’t have saved.

**You just made a BIG mistake.**

**It’s really easy to find out where you live, you know. Too bad you’re not home. You crossed the wrong person and you’re going to be sorry.**

**If you tell anyone, you’re going to be in trouble. Understand? I’ll find you.**

**Answer me, you fucking-**

Kyle rolled his eyes at the last two words. At least the insults were specific enough that he knew who sent it. Few people outside South Park knew Kyle’s religion.

But he was being threatened. And Cartman, of course, also knew where Kyle’s family lived.

Not that the guy had ever been any kind of a challenge, but he was still a powered-up fuckboy with ties to his family.

Kyle licked his lips.

Ike could probably take him, if it came to that. The kid was just as rough-and-tumble as his older brother, but…

He picked up his phone again, pressing the second number on his recent calls.

Kyle did not expect Kenny to pick up, but it barely rang before it was answered.

“What do you want,” Kenny asked, quiet and angry.

Kyle chewed on the inside of his cheek before just deciding to be blunt.

“I’ve just been threatened,” Kyle said calmly. As he expected, Kenny immediately began speaking.

“Who? When? Cartman?” Kenny’s questions came fast. “What happened?”

“It’s definitely Cartman,” Kyle said wryly. “And apparently he’s been by my house.”

“What?!” Kyle could hear shuffling on the other side of the line, and a girl’s voice asking Kenny what was wrong.

Kyle’s heart froze.

It was like ice water being thrown over him, and proved that yes, he definitely, definitely still cared.

I mean, he broke up with him, kind of? But why would…he didn’t just move on somewhere, did he?

Okay, maybe that was selfish but Kyle definitely still loved Kenny and he wasn’t okay with this and oh God, he did not think he was the jealous type but holy shit was this strong-

“Hello? Kyle?” Kenny was saying, alarmed. “Are you still there?”

“What? I was- what?” Kyle mentally shook himself. “I didn’t hear you. I’m back in South Park. Cell phone reception.” Hopefully Kenny didn’t realize that was bullshit.

“Oh!” Kenny sounded relieved. “You weren’t home. Good.”

“Dude, I’m not scared of Cartman,” Kyle said, alarmed. “I just don’t want him messing with my family.”

“Kyle, consider who I am,” Kenny said softly, all bitterness out of his voice. “Would you have thought I’m capable of what I am?”

Kyle recalled a million little moments. Fire, rage, Mysterion snapping an arm bone with his bare hands.

“But this is…Cartman,” Kyle protested, weakly. It just didn’t compute. “I can handle Cartman.”

“Ky,” Concern and affection were so laced into the stupid nickname that Kyle cut himself off. He hated pet names, nicknames, but somehow Kenny just always, always made the exception. “He’s got connections, and when he’s behind a mask he can do whatever he wants. He plays hero all day long, and he’s not the brightest but he knows how to be charismatic on the surface to people who follow him. He’s having fun. If he thinks you’re going to play whistleblower and stop all of this, you’re in danger. From him or his friends.”

Kyle exhaled, slowly. “You think he’ll either come after me himself or call a hit on me?”

“He’s already been to your house, you said,” Kenny pointed out. “Kyle, he’s already put a mark on your back.”

Kyle said nothing. So he might not be working with just Cartman anymore.

“Ky,” Kenny said again, focusing his attention. “What do you want to do?”

He closed his eyes. Breathe. Think it through.

“I almost thought about visiting someone else,” He said, mulling it all over. “But if I step away, Cartman is going to come after Ike if he’s smart. I’d come running back and he’d have a gambling piece.”

“You’re probably right,” Kenny was saying, and Kyle recognized the tone he took when he was thinking. Mysterion. His love of people, studying psychology and criminology, this was who Mysterion was. “And if you stay there, they’ll be in the line of fire.”

“So I have to come home,” Kyle said, quietly.

“You might not have much of a choice, Kyle,” Kenny said softly.

Both remained quiet.

“Look,” Kenny said, “I’m sorry. I put you in this situation.”

Kyle took another breath, straightening.

“I ran my own damn mouth to him, don’t you take all the credit,” Kyle heard Kenny’s surprised noise of protest and smiled, lazily. “I take responsibility for this one. I can’t just go back home, I need to talk to him.”

“No,” Kenny immediately protested, but Kyle interrupted him.

“I need you there,” He said, calmly. “I’m going to reveal the Coon’s identity in a newspaper piece before I even leave South Park. My editor is waiting. I need to take him out of the game.”

“Kyle, I’m almost certain his connections are with the police,” Kenny warned quickly. “Just from what I’ve heard from him. He might wiggle out of anything you try to place on him.”

Kyle began pacing, brows scrunched. “What if I blackmailed him?”

“I think something would happen to you,” Kenny’s voice was strained. “And he has worse blackmail on you, Ky. He knows where Ike lives.”

This was true. Kyle kept walking, tripping over pieces of rusting car. He needed leverage.

“There’s nothing he cares about more than himself,” Kyle said wearily. “I have nothing else on him but his identity.”

“He’s not scared of me anymore,” Kenny’s voice sounded just as tired. “I can’t threaten him away. I failed last time.”

“Why did you even do that?” Kyle demanded to know, leaning back against the car and shoving curls off his forehead.

“I just…wanted him to stay away from you,” Kenny sounded embarrassed. Kyle flushed. “He’s not a good character. And I had no idea you two knew each other.”

He was tempted to bite back with a ‘good job’ of some sort but decided against it. He tried to think of something slightly kinder to say.

In the background, he could hear the other people talking to Kenny.

“Probably,” The boy said in reply, and Kyle finally broke.

“Kenny,” He asked, flushing “Who…is that?”

“I spent the night at Karen’s,” Kenny replied, still sounding distracted. “I’ll probably be leaving soon, if he’s threatening people I don’t want to chance it.”

“Your sister, Karen?” Kyle asked before he thought better of it. Oh God, that was stupid. Kyle covered his eyes with his free hand, face burning.

Heavy, confident flirtation broke Kenny’s surprised silence. “Yes, my sister. Don’t you worry, baby, I’m not messin’ around any.”

Fucking shit. There was too much in that sentence to properly process. The fucking awful pet name of _baby_ that no one else had ever dared to call him, the dripping voice, the promise that insinuated he still considered himself his boyfriend, the- ugh.

“Good,” He said stupidly, hearing Kenny giggle on the other end of the phone. “I- I’ll-” Shitting fuck, he was turning into a moron. He didn’t get tongue tied like this. Kenny’s giggles were getting worse. “Fuck, I-” Someone shut him the fuck up, please.

Kyle cleared his throat. “I think I need to get back to the city,” He said awkwardly. “I just definitely need to put some distance between my family and this situation.” 

“I’ll meet you,” Kenny’s voice was back to firm reassurance. “We’ll figure out what to do.”

Kyle closed his eyes. Made a decision. “Thanks, Ken,” He said, quietly. They’d figure all of this out later, as well. Right now, he needed to keep his family and himself out of danger.

“’Course, Ky,” The boy said. “And do me a favor?”

“What’s that?” Kyle asked, beginning to walk back home.

“Be very, very careful,” Kenny said simply.

“You be careful, too,” Kyle said, pausing to lean against the fence. Kenny must have heard the clink and paused. Kyle didn’t particularly want to tell him what he went to go look at.

“Where are you?” He asked, and Kyle’s lips curved into a smirk. A perfect roundabout.

“Don’t worry, _sweetheart,_ ” Kyle threw back at him, earning what sounded like a squeak from the guy. “I’m not messing around.”

Kenny wasn’t saying anything and Kyle grinned, heart feeling lighter than it had in ages. “I’ll call you on the way home.”

“Okay,” The boy said, sounding pleased but embarrassed himself.

So he could render the ferocious Mysterion speechless and shy. He smiled, awkwardly scratching his cheek.

“I’ll see you soon,” Kyle promised, and Kenny’s voice was all warmth.

“I’ll be here,” He replied, and Kyle hung up the phone.

Okay. Kyle was being hunted by the false hero boy of the city, his family was in danger, and his superhero-liar of a friend/boyfriend was still into him.

He had to get out of here. He’d use his editor as the excuse, he had to be back to work. He’d tell his family goodbye and tell Cartman he was still hanging around the city. Make Cartman go crazy looking in all his usual spots. And then he and Kenny would make a plan.

He’d call it more of a truce than forgiveness, but the heavy blanket of stress and anger had at least eased off his shoulders.

Time to get back to the quick life of heroes and villainy. Kyle jogged back to his house and flew in the back door, covered in dirt and face pink with more than exertion or the weather.


	6. Meeting

Kyle parked his car at college, back behind one of the dorms. He had no reason to be back here and hopefully no one would be watching. He had no idea if Cartman was lurking around, or who he knew and whether they were watching, or what he was planning, or how quickly that plan would go into action.

That’s why he was meeting Kenny. Kyle pulled his knitted hat over his wild curls, locking the car and walking away from the parking lot and to the sidewalk. He’d more or less stolen the hat from his brother, wanting to not be seen from across the fucking city. The cons of being naturally redhead just continued to plague his life.

Kenny was sitting up on one of the statue bases in front of the dorms, swinging his legs over the cobblestone pathway as he looked at his phone.

Yeah, you wouldn’t think this boy was Mysterion. Kyle took a moment to observe him. Ratty jeans, sweatshirt frayed at the ends, beat up sneakers. Skinny, cheery, a total goofball. It collided so much with who Mysterion was. So was it an act? A front?

In the end he was right back to the first question he asked after they first met: Who was Mysterion?

Kyle walked up to him, resting his arms on the statue base.

The boy looked over in surprise, the expression melting into a concerned warmth that surprised Kyle. He turned to face him, pulling his legs up to sit like a six-year-old at recess.

“Hey, how you doing?” Kenny asked, all concern. “He hasn’t been here. We probably should leave campus, though, he knows now that you probably go to school here.”

“Yeah.” Kyle didn’t have a lot more to say than that. He dropped his head onto his arms, feeling irritated. Cold concrete seeped through his hoodie, chilling him. “He’s still just got to ruin my goddamned life somehow, doesn’t he?”

On the schoolgrounds, they had been evenly matched. Maybe even skewed in Kyle's favor. There, he'd known what limits the other had and what he could get away with, what he was capable of. Here, everything was taken away from Kyle and it was pissing him off. 

“He is good at that shit,” Kenny said thoughtfully, pulling Kyle’s hat down to cover the curls escaping the bottom of it. “Hey. Look at me.”

Kyle lifted his head tiredly, resting his chin against his arms.

“I’ve got all my stuff,” Kenny said, tugging one of the straps of his backpack. “Just in case. Besides, you kicked his ass last time.” He was smiling, blue eyes crinkled. “We’ll figure it out, man.”

Kyle watched him, quietly. There was no hint of anger or any kind of residual grudge from their abrupt departure. It made him feel weird.

This whole situation was weird. Kenny was Kenny, except he also wasn’t, he was Mysterion, and Kyle knew them both well only he didn’t. He didn’t trust Kenny except he did more than anyone else, he’d have his back and yet Kyle was worried.

Just weird.

Regardless, Kyle lifted his hand and touched his face, startling Kenny to the point he was perfectly still, watching.

“I shouldn’t have left you,” Kyle said, fortifying himself and just owning the dumb thing. He was definitely in the right to be pissed, but leaving his boyfriend lying, _bleeding_ , on the bathroom floor even if he did regenerate was…an iffy life choice. He smoothed his thumb over his cheek. You couldn’t even tell the skin had been damaged.

“Yeah. Well, I guess I know why you would,” Kenny seemed to want to brush him aside, and Kyle’s other hand came up to cup his face.

That seemed to quiet him, and the boy watched, unsure.

This thin-faced, skinny guy was Mysterion, the brutalizing enemy of criminals everywhere. Someone who had come to Kyle for ages, for something like…guidance? He’d let Kyle pick him off the ground, boss him around, patch him up, and all this time, he’d…

Kyle took his hands away, almost nervously.

Kenny looked bewildered, tilting his head like a confused golden retriever puppy. When Kyle said nothing and instead averted his gaze, embarrassed, Kenny broke the heavy silence.

“Want to get food?” He asked, gently.

Backed by the sun, Kenny could honestly have been anyone but Mysterion. Bright, vibrant, forgiving, considerate. Kyle took a breath, eyes on the boy. “Sure.”

-

The picked a café not far from campus. Kyle was more aware than ever of where he was, what he was doing. He obsessively tugged at his hat, until Kenny began smacking his hands away.

“You’re fine, Kyle,” He said, rolling his eyes. “You’re drawing more attention to yourself by fussing.”

Kyle said nothing, scowling down at his sandwich. He didn’t like feeling powerless. He wanted problems right in front of him. Overcome, even if you had to beat back that shit with your bare hands. The uncertainty was what got him. He wasn’t used to feeling like this.

“So what are we going to do?” Kyle asked, not feeling much like eating. That could have serious repercussions for him, but he honestly didn’t think he could right now.

Kenny’s sunny demeanor flipped, like it did in class when they were presented with something that he genuinely needed to think over. That look that was so recognizable now, Mysterion’s expression of thoughtfulness as Kyle puzzled out a situation or challenged a plan. It was bizarre.

“I know you know who he is,” Kenny said slowly, “But you know Cartman, not the Coon. There’s some things you need to know.”

Kyle listened attentively, brows furrowing.

“Cartman will absolutely attempt violence,” Kenny ticked off a finger. “He dared to actually _strike_ me down this time. He’ll have no qualms taking you down, especially now that you’ve pissed him off.”

Kyle nodded, slightly. “He looked shocked at what he did,” He recalled, stabbing his ice with a straw. “I was able to catch him off guard.”

“Yeah, that wasn’t due to any kind of remorse,” Kenny scoffed. “He was scared of retaliation, trust me.”

Kyle picked a chip off his plate to nibble, thinking. “What else?”

“Again, he keeps getting out of trouble with the cops and I don’t know why,” Kenny went back to his mental list. “Or how.”

“He’s probably made the least impact on the city,” Kyle pointed out. “Really, the guy has done nothing but cause inconveniences and stage publicity.”

“Meaning what?” Kenny asked, attention focused. Kyle couldn’t quite look away from his eyes again. How had he never noticed?

“If you want to catch a rat, ask a mouse,” Kyle recounted something he’d read ages ago. “He’s inconsequential, at the end of the day. He could be given immunity for giving them hero’s names, for example. He doesn’t know who you are, does he?”

“No,” Kenny replied immediately. His lips twisted slightly. “I mean, he knows who _I_ am. He was at the same school as I was. But he doesn’t know who Mysterion really is. I haven’t seen him face-to-face since I’ve moved out.”

Kyle felt himself relax. “So you’re safe,” He murmured, and Kenny tried to hide his smile.

“Supposedly,” He said, smiling openly when Kyle looked up. “Depends. How angry are you at me?”

Ass. Kyle narrowed his eyes slightly. “Is that really a good thing to ask me right now?”

Kenny’s expression melted away, and Kyle realized he hadn’t taken at how he ought to.

“I mean,” Kyle leaned his elbows on the table as he spoke, “You should have told me. It makes things…weird, now. But I’m not going to be angry at you over it. I left you on the fucking ground, bleeding, you should be pissed as hell-”

“Oh. I was,” Kenny assured him, “But yeah, you just kind of found out I was sort-of lying to you the whole time, and that had to be a shock-”

“-I thought maybe I should be afraid,” Kyle admitted, tugging his hat over his ears. “I freaked out, I thought maybe you’d break into my house or something and hurt me.”

“You did?” Kenny looked alarmed. “What the fuck, Kyle, I’d never do that!”

“Look, I have no idea who you are,” Kyle hissed, face red. “In the end, I don’t know you. I knew Mysterion, a little, and I started to know Kenny. Then it’s revealed that they’re one in the same, two different people I never reconciled in my brain. So in the end, I never knew anyone.”

Kenny puzzled over this a moment, clasping his hands together with his elbows on the table.

He could see bits and pieces of Mysterion here, now. And it still felt a bit like grieving, because really, he lost them both in a way. And now they’d have to start over.

“I didn’t know that would be a thing,” Kenny admitted, finally. “I didn’t… really think this through.”

“Yeah.” Kyle couldn’t help jab. “That’s a little obvious, Ken.”

Kenny colored, and threw it directly back at him. “And what else was a thing? I knew you liked me, but I had no idea Kyle Broflovski was a Mysterion _fanboy_.”

Kyle choked. Oh lord. “Are you kidding me? You’re bringing this up now?!”

“God, you were embarrassing to listen to,” Kenny covered his face, giggling. “I didn’t…know I left an impact on you. Not that strong. It’s so…humbling, Ky, honestly. You’ve always been my biggest defender and to hear you still take my side was the most-”

“Stop,” Kyle was red now as well, covering his eyes. Both of them looked ridiculous. He didn't need this reminder. He'd been smitten and it was awful and he'd like that to die. 

“I liked it,” Kenny confessed, something like babbling. “After the shit I put you through you still believed I was a good person, and fuck, I didn’t deserve that grace, Kyle.” His hands suddenly fell. “Oh, shit! I never said sorry, Kyle, I-”

“I really mean it, stop,” Kyle told him, waving his hand in a cut-off gesture. “That part we can let die and I’m entirely fine with.”

“No, look,” Kenny dragged his hands through his hair. “I don’t want you… worrying about it anymore. I was in love with you and I got scared. I backed out.”

“I left you _bleeding out_ on the ground, Kenneth McCormick-” Kyle tried to interrupt.

“And that was a bitch thing to do, but I’m still _sorry,_ ” Kenny insisted. “Look, I started this mess. I needed you.”

“That,” Kyle said, bristling. “Don’t you dare be sorry for. I worried about you for ages after you left. I checked the news just to be sure you were alive. You had told me you didn’t have anyone else and I never forgot that.”

Kenny’s expression was warm. He tilted his head, watching Kyle closely. “You’re not angry over that?”

“It was humiliating, actually, I was never angry,” Kyle admitted, face turning darker. “And I was getting over that, thank you very much.”

Kenny tugged his sweater over his lips, like he had the day Kyle asked him out, something the redhead had come to associate with discomfort of some kind. Then, he'd merely been overwhelmed. He doubted that was the case here. He took a breath. Tensions were high, but that was no reason to make Kenny's life a little worse. He needed time to sort this all out properly. 

“Look, it’s just going to take more than a day to get used to,” Kyle said, awkwardly. “I want…we can have this conversation again. Sometime when things aren’t so tense. We are literally being threatened right now by someone who breaks the law and may have ties to the local police department.”

Kenny didn’t look overly thrilled, but he nodded. He understood. This wasn’t really a great time to talk, not when everything else was going on. And yet.

Kenny wasn’t overly angry at him for the abandonment, and Kyle wasn’t as angry over the deceit. It hadn’t been but a fucking day. Was that stupid or was it mature? Kyle wasn’t sure.

He liked to think it was indicative. That they cared a little more about one another than he first thought, enough to want to work out the problems rather than point fingers. Of course, he was always a closet romantic in that sense so maybe his judgement was a bit flawed, but he’d like to think it was. In the end, Kyle knew Kenny wasn’t trying to hurt him.

He was just a fucking dumbass.

“You need to eat something,” Kenny pointed out quietly.

Kyle glanced up, and Kenny tapped the table, in front of his plate.

“C’mon man, you get sick easy,” The boy said with a lift of his shoulder. “I’ll go over everything I know about the ass. You eat, listen, we’ll make up a plan. Okay?”

Kyle bit the inside of his cheek. He reached for Kenny’s hand, the other delightedly and gratefully offering his own. So the shorter student brought his hand up and kissed it, Kenny freezing to look absolutely uncertain as to what to do next.

Kenny loved him. He already said that and wasn’t going to again. Kyle was good with that. They didn’t have the luxury of being able to explain all their actions or express all their feelings. That would come. Kyle was certain of it.

Still, he didn’t want to leave things too open-ended.

“I can see how you’re the same person,” Kyle admitted, steadying himself. Just be quick and concise. “And I want to- get to know you again, now that I know.” He squeezed his hand. “I still care about you. Alright? One thing at a time. Let’s figure out how we’re going to kick his ass.”

Kenny took a slow, audible breath, making Kyle grin, twining his fingers with Kyle’s in a solid grip. Something deathly strong and very glad.

“I got years’ worth of information,” Kenny said, voice laced with far too much warmth for the topic.

“Then start talking,” Kyle poked at him, smiling.

Kenny moved his chair closer, under the pretense of secrecy, and went back through everything he’d learned from years of up-close fighting with other heroes and villains.


	7. Brawl

This was not a place Kyle would willingly go on his own. Largely abandoned, the old watch factory held a lot of land still that no one knew what to do with. It had been up for sale for probably a decade, it was a wonder the city didn’t burn it down already for being a hazard.

Kenny had said it was the old headquarters of an ex-villain he’d befriended during his earliest years as Mysterion. The guy had been his first enemy.

“I doubt you’ll end up befriending this one,” Kyle murmured, leaning against the cargo door to one of the warehouses.

“I tried that already,” Mysterion said grimly, standing behind Kyle a few paces, in the shadows. Watching. “That didn’t work out very well.”

Funny. Even his way of speaking changed as Mysterion, not just the voice. It was like a different persona and again, Kyle wasn’t surprised he never figured it out. What a well kept secret.

“What about the guy you did befriend?” Kyle asked, checking his phone. “Do you have any allies?”

“I convinced him to get back out of the game,” Mysterion said quietly. “He was far too good for this. He’s doing better, now, he’s off in another state going to school.”

Kyle glanced over at the kid. Mysterion was leaning, arms crossed, looking at one of the other buildings at the property.

Honestly.

“And you still refute being a hero?” Kyle’s voice was gentle, catching the cloaked figure’s attention. Kyle tsked his tongue at him. “That’s not something normal of any Power. Why did you help him?”

Mysterion was quiet, taking the question into consideration.

“You’re making me sound nicer than I am, again,” He finally said, tilting his head. The half of his face Kyle could see looked fond, a softer sort of curve to his lips instead of a scowl. “I knew who he was. An old friend of mine.”

“That doesn’t make what you do any less admirable,” Kyle defended with a slight shake of his head. “You’re a mess, Mysterion.”

The boy huffed slightly in amusement, a genuine smile curving his lips. The voice that spoke was very much Kenny. “Good thing I’ve got you to sort me out, then, huh?”

Kyle hid his own smile by looking away.

This was better. This was…almost comfortable. It was like they were being placed on even ground once again, and it was relieving. Kyle had a plan, Mysterion was his muscle, and together they usually came out of everything alright.

Kyle had decided, much against Kenny’s desire, to out the Coon’s identity. However, they couldn’t exactly do this on a whim. Kyle wanted to know exactly where the Coon was and not have to worry about being jumped in a random corner. He had the story typed up, ready to send to his editor, with directions to also contact the police.

Kyle would cover the story and film the proceedings, Mysterion would make sure everything was evenly matched, and between them both Cartman wouldn’t catch them off guard this time. They’d win. He’d be arrested.

After years of dealing with his bullshit, Kyle was downright gleeful.

“He’s at the gate,” Mysterion pointed out.

Kyle looked to see the clambering over dumpsters and trying to figure out how to scale the tall, chain fence around the facility.

“Should I send it now?” Kyle murmured, and Mysterion made a noise of dissent.

“I’d rather you not send it at all,” The man grumbled. “But wait a moment. See if he has anything crazy up his sleeve first.”

The Coon strode over to them after finally figuring his way over. He didn’t look scared, just annoyed. Kyle straightened, squaring his shoulders, and Cartman gave him an earful the moment he was in range.

“What the fuck is your problem, Kal?” He snarled, kicking aside a soda can like a child with a temper. “This is all I got! You’re gonna try to run me out of town for doing nothing?”

This was a different mindset than last time. Kyle expected threats, not a plead for sympathy. Which wasn’t about to work on someone who actually grew up with him.

“You attacked my friend and made a threat against my life,” Kyle said coolly. “Doesn’t sound like nothing to me, Fatass.”

“You don’t know what I go home to every night,” Cartman pressed a clawed hand against his heart, eyes glittering. “Don’t you have any compassion, Kal?”

“Kyle,” Mysterion stepped out of the darkness and nearly made Cartman jump in place.

“Holy shit, you creepy asshole,” Cartman pointed at him. “Weren’t man enough to face me on your own, Jew-Boy?”

Kenny was twitching in irritation. Kyle found that somewhat satisfying and smirked.

“Look, I don’t know if you’re trying to goad me or appeal to my sympathy, or what,” The redhead said, sneering coldly. “But we’re goddamned adults now, Eric. You can’t keep this up, I’m tired of it.”

“We were friends, Kal,” Cartman seemed to be going back for sympathy or second guessing. “You wouldn’t have any sympathy for an old friend?”

“I’m done with you, honestly,” Kyle said, not even bothering to answer. “After all this shit, you’re not getting out of this. I’ve made a letter to my editor,” The boy spoke evenly, savoring the moment. “And you’re going to be arrested for vigilantism.”

“Ha!” Cartman said, smugly jabbing a claw in Kyle’s direction. Behind him, Mysterion growled. “Don’t know if you noticed, but I’m kind of not in prison right now? Thought you were supposed to be smart-” Kyle gave Mysterion a look when the other took a step forward to stand next to Kyle. He didn’t appreciate the name calling. Mysterion’s eyes were hungry. He looked ready to tear Cartman to pieces.

He was about to let him.

“Doesn’t. Matter.” Kyle managed to keep his cool, opening his phone back up without looking at it. “In three minutes it’ll be posted to my newspaper’s website, with approval from the editor. You think the city is going to give a shit what the police say, once they know the truth?”

Cartman’s expression turned ugly. He gave Mysterion a sideways look, shrugging his shoulders.

“Okay.” He said, beady eyes watchful. “Go ahead.”

Kyle, stupidly, paused.

That was all the time needed. Kyle wasn’t worried about Cartman attacking, he was slower than Kyle and still a good ways away. Turned out that was for a reason.

Mysterion realized what was happening a split second before Kyle and stepped in front of him.

All Kyle saw was light. He had to shield his eyes, a blue-white shock burning into his eyelids, flashing even though his eyes were closed. There was a deafening crack, coldness, and Mysterion stumbled back into him.

He caught the swearing vigilante in his arms, Mysterion was twitching oddly and grasping his right arm, swearing an absolute blue streak.

Kyle looked up, immediately catching sight of the perpetrator.

He recognized WonderStrike, the shorter, louder part of the Strike Duo, stood with his teeth gritted, hands outstretched and shaking.

Hold the fuck up.

“What the fuck?!” Kyle shouted at him, the first words he’d ever spoken to the guy in his life. “Are you fucking serious?”

Wonder made no reply, ice particles clung to his clothing and hair, he was oddly quiet.

“What, are you the only one who can bring friends?” Cartman goaded as Mysterion pushed himself back up, shaking out his hand with a wince.

“You’re working for the Coon?” Mysterion snapped at Wonder, pissed. “You’re not part of his gang!”

“Nah, but Supers is,” Cartman mentioned. “Isn’t he, Wonder? He came to me after their little breakup. Wonder’s got some stuff he’d rather his ex not know, don’t you, kid?”

The hero twitched. “That’s not why I’m here,” He said, voice sharp.

“Alright, and maybe I can make Super’s life a little briefer, that’s not important right now,” Cartman looked happy, holding everyone at an arm’s length and moving them around like pawns. That was what he liked best, holding power over other. Kid in a candy store. “I wanna talk to Kal, Wonder. Why don’t you go take away his phone so he’ll actually chat?”

“WonderStrike,” Mysterion warned darkly, “Don’t you d-”

Kyle and Mysterion jumped in different directions to avoid the blast of ice, spears striking the ground and freezing in a beautifully symmetrical pattern.

Kyle did not stay still. Wonder was blocking his best way out, but all he had to do was submit the evidence and back away to wait. But Cartman was coming for him.

The law student was forced to retreat, lengthening his distance from the guy. He was quicker, but to Cartman’s credit he kept on him, trying to trap Kyle in a corner.

Mysterion was being no more successful, his talents were for close-up and Wonder was more a fighter for range. He didn’t seem very bent on hurting Mysterion as much as he seemed to want him to _stop_. Twice he’d tried to trap him in ice to immobilize but Kenny would not stay still.

“Do you really think you’re helping the right side, Kal?” Cartman sneered, frustrated when Kyle wouldn’t let him get close enough to strike. “He’s done some weird shit.”

“Do you really think you can bully me and Stan for years and expect me to take your side over it all?” Kyle snapped, feeling more annoyed than actually worried. “No fucking way. You hurt my friend, you threatened my life, and now you’re trying to kill me. Excuse me if I don’t run to your defense.”

“Hey, now, somebody still talks to Stan and guess what? I know for a fact it’s not you,” Cartman sneered back. Kyle tried not to cringe. “Don’t pretend you’re all high and mighty, Kal. You’re just as dirty as the rest of us.”

“I’m not dressing up in costumes and staging fights,” Kyle accused. “You’ve caused a lot of grief for other heroes just by existing.”

“Hey, Mysty!” Cartman called over to the brawling heroes. “Kyle called me a hero!”

Kyle took his opportunity to try to catch him off-guard, moving to kick the guy like he had on the bleachers and send his lardy ass over. Only Cartman was ready this time.

He grabbed Kyle’s ankle with one clawed hand, nails digging into his flesh as Kyle was thrown backwards, air leaving his lungs in a rush. His shoulders hit first, head bouncing once against the ground until he saw stars. With the force he was sent sliding against the pavement, hoodie exposed enough of his back to become raw in places.

He didn’t have time to catch his breath, his phone clattering to the ground. Cartman dove for it the same moment he did, catching the so-called ‘hero’ in the side of the face and hearing him screech.

Kyle’s fingers grazed the phone as he stretched out, but Cartman stomped on his arm.

Kyle hissed, swinging his body around to try and kick the larger boy off his arm.

Cartman brought his boot directly into his face.

“That’s for the bleachers, Jew-Boy,” Cartman hissed as Kyle snarled in pain. He was left blind as the hero picked up his phone, a ringing in Kyle’s ears keeping him from understanding what was happening.

He hit his head hard. Adding the kick to that was making everything feel fuzzy. Kyle blindly felt along for his phone, not realizing what had happened.

He couldn’t think, he couldn’t lift his head. His limbs felt heavy, darkness at the corners of his eyes threatened to take him under. This was bad, this was…he’d underestimated him, he’d let his guard down.

He squinted in the dying sunlight, blurred vision making him a bit sick. He forced himself up on his forearms, blood oozing from his nose and dripping off his lips as he tried to look for either Cartman or Kenny.

Kenny was pinned with ice to one of the walls, cursing and thrashing as Cartman taunted him. Everything sounded like it was under water. Where was his phone? 

Kyle staggered to his feet, blood still pouring from his nose, pissed as hell. Okay. So he underestimated him. Now he was furious, the Coon had no idea what he’d started.

Kyle felt along the wall to steady himself, approaching the group. Wonder saw him, he looked directly at him, and then quickly looked away without telling Cartman.

So he didn’t want to be here. Whatever weird thing was going on with him, he didn’t want to actually hurt anyone.

Cartman noticed Kyle anyway.

He stared, freezing momentarily when he saw the blood-covered boy with hell in his eyes. Then, the next second, his own narrowed.

In a quick movement, he grabbed Kenny’s mask and yanked it off, something so unheard of and controversial that Wonder audibly gasped. Kyle’s heart stopped.

“Wha- is that _Kinnie_?” Cartman dropped the mask and backed off a good three steps, eyes large and horrified for about a good eight seconds.

And then he laughed.

Cartman howled, WonderStrike motionless behind him in shock.

“ _You’re_ Mysterion?!” He asked the blond, who was looking like he got into a brawl with a wildcat. Kenny was still fighting against Wonder’s trap, and began again in earnest.

“You’re kidding me, Kinnie, are you kidding?” Cartman was nearly in tears but Kyle was on his way. Rage was a great motivator, and he hopped off the slight ledge, forgoing the ramp, to try and get closer but Cartman shook a finger at him.

“Now hold on, you can’t touch me,” Cartman said with a sneer. “You send that story I tell everyone that Mysterion is actually a little poor-ass bitch from a hick town in the mountains. I know who this is.”

Kyle eyed the phone in Cartman’s hands. The Coon actually tossed it at him easily, letting him try to catch it, his vision and head letting it hit him squarely in the arm instead and falling to the ground.

Kenny made a soft noise of shock, and Cartman laughed again.

“What’s wrong, Kal?” He asked, gleefully. “Lookit this, look at who this is! This kid grew up in our town, a little fucking weirdo, grew up in a toilet of a shack and took porn to school. That’s who Mysterion is! Forget me, guess what people’ll say when they hear Mysterion’s _Kinnie fucking McCormick_ ”

“Kyle?” Kenny was asking, not even listening. “Kyle, are you okay?”

Kyle spit blood, making both Kenny and Cartman jump for different reasons. Wonder was looking uneasy, twitching to the point of not being able to stand still. 

“Do you think,” Kyle said thickly, eyes settled on the Coon for murder, “That I’m going to let you endanger him? My dad’s a fucking lawyer, with law buddies all over the fucking country. I’ve got the resources and money to dig Ken out of a hole if I need to. Do you, Fatass? You got someone to dig you out of this coffin I’m about to bury you in?”

Cartman’s smile twitched slightly, turning into more of a grimace. “So you already knew,” He sounded disappointed. “You’re in love with the dirty little slut boy, Kal?”

“Oh trust me, I love Kenny,” Kyle said coolly, crouching to reach his phone and keeping eye contact in case he was attacked. Wonder was staring with wide eyes at Kyle and wasn’t moving. “And you know me. So ask yourself this: Are you going to tangle someone I love into your little fucking spiderweb? I’ll fucking bury you, and you know it.”

“I’ve got a ton of followers,” The Coon pointed out, reddening. “And people like Wonder, here. You think you’re going to get rid of me that easy?”

“So you got a little following,” Kyle sneered, picking his phone up and smearing blood on the screen as he unlocked it. “But guess what. After all this time, nothing has changed.” He’d wanted to confront the asshole for years. Kyle slowly stood, keeping eye contact. All three other pairs watched.

“You might have the cops in your pocket, but I have the power,” Kyle threatened. “People know me. They trust me. They hang onto everything I say, whether they agree or not. I have power, money, popularity, everything you never have and nothing you’ll ever be, so ask yourself who they’re going to believe.” Kyle went to his email without looking away, having to tap several times to open it. “You’re a fat fucking loser from the same little hick town, and no one’s going to care enough to drag your ass back out of this. We’ll all fucking celebrate.” Cartman made too many enemies. The rest of the kids grew up. He never did.

Right now he was bright red, furious, staring Kyle down as if he could kill him with looks alone.

With a crack, the ice parted, letting a bruised and beaten Kenny slide to the ground, still watching Kyle. Looking at him with something intense, focused and faraway all at once.

Behind Cartman, WonderStrike was starting to look pissed. Cartman whirled.

Not for Wonder.

Kyle knew he was coming for him. He had a split second to make a choice and he made it.

He sent the message and smirked. Heard Cartman swear he was dead.

Cartman took him literally to the ground. Kyle felt the sting of ice under him, realizing later that WonderStrike had tried to soften the blow with snow this time. It didn’t stop the claws, and his phone slipped from his hands in order to block. He felt the claws dig into his arms, one catching on his neck and slicing through the skin. Despite the pain and worsening of the situation, Kyle pushed anyhow hoping to get him off. Cartman screeched as he was dragged back, and Kyle struggled to sit up.

Blackness was back in his vision, but this was…different. Something was dragging Cartman along the ground, something cloaked in darkness that wafted like smoke. It let him go, and the next second Kenny was standing in front of him, even though Kyle never saw him move.

He froze, sitting stupidly, curls soaked with blood and stuck to his forehead, as Kenny grabbed Cartman by the throat.

“ **You. Don’t. Touch. Kyle.** ” That weird lilt to his voice was back, turning Kenny’s light and airy voice into something demonic, something that rumbled along the ground like an earthquake.

“ **Do not touch Kyle. Do not talk to Kyle. Don’t you even look at him ever again, you pathetic waste of _life,_** ” Kenny’s figure was even wrong, a weird sort of casted glow over his body and darkness everywhere. “ **I’ll kill you. I’ll rip you apart and you can see how many people you can hurt and blackmail with your parts lying all over the concrete.** ”

Kyle couldn’t see hardly anything. He blindly stumbled to his feet, not entirely sure he wasn’t hallucinating this. He couldn’t see the ground, the sky, he could see the glow around Mysterion, the silhouette of Cartman screaming on the ground, and someone came to nearly tackle him on his left side.

He realized it was WonderStrike, who looked as surprised to see Kyle as Kyle was to him.

“What’s going on?” Kyle asked him, and Wonder squawked.

“You’d know better than I would,” He said incredulously, an involuntary noise slipping past his lips. He looked Kyle over critically. “Nmph. I’m shit at healing, but come here-”

“I’ve gotta stop Ken,” Kyle protested, shaking his head. Something like snakes skittered along the ground, making it difficult to move.

“Why?” Wonder asked sharply, and Kyle stared. The boy stared right back, fiercely, but he didn’t make any move to stop Kyle.

“Because I have to,” He said, almost crossly. “Whatever Cartman’s got on you, I’ll help you. Stick around and help clean up afterwards.”

Wonder grunted assent and Kyle stumbled onward, bogged back by his own physical suffering and the darkness itself.

“Kenny!” He called, wincing at the loudness of his own voice. “For fuck’s sake,” He whispered to himself. What was happening? What was this? This had to be…Kenny, but Mysterion didn’t have powers like this. Not like he knew. “Mysterion!”

A snap, something yanked him forcefully and suddenly he ran straight into the cloaked man.

Kenny was almost unrecognizable.

He melded in with the darkness, Kyle was staring him right in the face and almost couldn’t see him. It was difficult to explain, and the brain damage he was probably facing didn’t help. What he could see was the expression on his face. Enraged was an understatement.

Whatever this darkness was, this was what Kenny meant. Mysterion’s dark side was power, darkness, death. Kyle could feel it, was breathing it, could taste it.

He said nothing at first, mind whirling through his choices. Kenny was a physical person. He was already touching him, he merely slipped an arm around him and tugged him closer.

He felt Kenny exhale.

“It’s fine,” Kyle told him. “I’m fine. You’re fine. Let him go.”

Kenny was starting to relax, the snapping tension of his body melting as he began to lean against Kyle.

It was so easy, in the end. Mysterion sank against Kyle and reached for him, darkness dissipating as he let Kyle pull him away from all of this.

 _“You kept me upright_ ,” Kyle recalled Kenny saying. “ _Your outlook on life was different, you kept Mysterion from becoming what everyone said he was._ ”

He’d genuinely needed a friend. Kenny let go of grudges, moved on, forgave, but Mysterion was almost an entirely different animal. Everything negative, angry, and dark seemed to make up who he was. Because he was Kenny, Mysterion did good things. Cross the line, however, and Kyle could understand how Kenny would worry about him getting away from him.

Kyle twisted his fingers into the cape, Kenny causing a bit of pain with how hard he was crushing his ribcage.

“Way to go, hero,” Kyle lightly jabbed, murmuring into his ear. “Just ease up on the death and darkness a bit, will you?”

Kenny snorted, and Kyle opened his eyes to notice he was able to see everything around him again.

Cartman was shaking on the ground, in shock, Wonder was standing by, pale, ready and waiting in case things went south for Kyle.

Kenny loosened his grip slightly, and Kyle didn’t want to hear whatever stupid apology was coming out of his mouth.

Kind of forgetting he was more or less covered in blood, Kyle turned his face and kissed him. His split lip burned, but Kenny didn’t seem to hesitate in kissing him back and it was good. Was better, Kenny’s hands ended up in his hair, Kyle’s arms around his waist, and finally things were okay. He didn’t even know how he knew, he was dizzy and proud of himself and still kind of riding on the adrenaline high of it all. This honestly left him feeling a bit crazy, but Kenny was warm again and familiar and kissing him, so that was okay for right now.

Kenny realized the state Kyle was in, the other boy a little too fuzzy to have noticed much of anything at the moment.

“Shit, dude, you’re a mess,” Kenny’s voice came from under the hood, all concern.

“Yeah, I need to go to a hospital, probably,” Kyle agreed, looking around for his phone. Kenny’s arm was around his waist now, supportive just in case. “Unlike you, I actually know when to admit that.”

“Police are coming,” Wonder said, coming up behind them with Kenny’s mask and handing it to him. “We can sneak out the back way. There’s a hospital around the corner.”

“No,” Kyle said, interrupting Kenny before he could even speak. Both other men stared at him.

“Cartman just made a big mistake,” Kyle grinned, green eyes hazy but smile sharp. “Leave me here, let me talk to them. You two go.”

“No way,” Kenny said, the same time WonderStrike shook his head.

“Trust me on this, Ken,” Kyle didn’t have the energy to argue right now, but he’d damn well try if Kenny wanted to push. “Bedsides. I think Wonder might need some help.”

Kenny glanced at the other hero, who looked wary.

“They’ll rush me to a hospital, Kenny, you’d probably be slower,” Kyle pointed out. “Both of you get out. Now.”

WonderStrike glanced at Mysterion, clearly letting him make the call.

The boy looked about as enthused as chopping a limb off. Maybe a little less, he’d get a new one. But he leaned down, pressed a quick kiss to Kyle’s forehead, and smoothed back his curls.

“Sit down,” He ordered, “And let them come to you. Keep your phone. Text me when you can.”

“Don’t need another mother,” Kyle said, as he sat down anyhow. Kenny dropped his phone into his lap and both heroes made it out moments before the police pulled up to the gate.

Kyle waited, deciding he’d suddenly be too ill to speak and ‘pass out’ or something as soon as they were close. He’d wait to be questioned in the safety of a hospital, in case the cops were crooked.

You know, reporting was fun. Maybe he’d go into it full-time after all.


	8. Friends

Kyle groggily opened his eyes late the next evening, curled up in his own bed with the fan humming above his bed. He blinked, slowly, head heavy and body exhausted, he wasn’t even out of bed yet.

The hospital. He glanced at his wrist, lifting the surprisingly heavy limb. It ached, shooting pain up his arm as he tentatively wriggled his fingers. The cast went almost to his elbow, hot, itchy, and a reminder that yeah. That had been real, and so were the stitches on his other arm. That’s why they had to use a removable cast…his arms had been scratched to shit, the nick on his chest had only needed surgical glue.

He remembered hearing he had to be carefully put under for surgery, checked for head injuries numerous times before being allowed to get actual metal placed in his arm. Being forced oxygen for some reason. Tiredly staying overnight, unable to sleep more than a few moments at a time, surrounded by noise and pain and light.

Damned Cartman.

The next morning having to go through interrogation. Hearing Cartman would be charged for the assault, what Kyle spun as an accumulation of everything that happened in school. Hoping Kenny made an alibi for where he was that night, because Cartman was going to squeal one day. No matter how terrified he was in that moment, he’d never keep his mouth shut. He wasn’t the type.

Something clicked sleepily in the back of his head. Shit, he’d been so exhausted this afternoon after getting home, he’d even put his shirt on inside out. Wrinkling his nose, he winced as he sat up fully. He’d been exhausted and almost out of it last night. But.

Kyle grit his teeth, pushing his haphazardly-draped blankets out of the way and standing. His bare feet made his trek over the carpet silent, and he pushed his door open with his good hand.

Curled on the couch, wrapped in the same blanket he had been all those months ago, slept Kyle’s ride home earlier in the day. Someone who had an equally difficult time sleeping but had immediately showed up when Kyle texted him, who- somehow- had obtained his _own fucking keys_ and drove Kyle home in his own car.

Kyle slowly walked across the floor, moving to crouch next to the sleeping boy. Kenny’s lashes twitched slightly, face making barely-noticeable tics as he dreamed. Kyle swallowed, ignoring the pain in his arm to crouch.

This boy, was Mysterion. The alter ego he had, the person he had to be when he wasn’t Mysterion, had always been Kenny. A boy who grew up in Kyle’s neighborhood, who fought life tooth and nail all the way, and still came out of it wanting to help. Someone tough and motivated, but laid-back and sensitive. Someone who came to Kyle, for help, for advice, for friendship.

He remembered being fixated on noticing he had pale eyelashes, under the mask, smeared with makeup to blur the image of a face, anything human.

Those lashes looked orange now, catching the setting sun. Kenny breathed deeply, slowly, wrapped in Kyle’s blanket.

The fact that Kenny had been Mysterion had been more of a shock than disappointment. If he’d been straightforward, Kyle could have seen himself freaking out for different reasons. So maybe he was a fanboy at one point.

Kyle reached to cup his face, and unlike last time, he touched his face without being smacked away.

Kenny did wake, however, multi-blue eyes catching Kyle’s almost immediately. He took another breath, more deliberate this time, sleepiness draining from his expression.

They looked at each other. Kyle smoothed back Kenny’s hair.

“How’s your arm?” Kenny asked, voice soft, like he was trying not to hurt him further with just his voice.

“Hurts like hell,” Kyle replied, keeping his hand still in blond locks. Kenny didn’t tell him to stop.

And yeah, he was kind of sitting next to his boyfriend-sort-of as well as his proclaimed hero, in a shirt that was showing the seams and a pair of shorts, but Kenny never looked away from his eyes. Never stopped staring like Kyle was the most enchanting thing to cross his path, rather than the other way around.

“I’m sorry,” Kenny whispered, eyes intense and honest. “For all of this.”

“Yeah, you’re only responsible for part of it,” Kyle said, moving to lovingly card his fingers back through his hair. “I made this decision.”

“You got hurt,” Kyle saw Kenny start to slide down the slope to self-deprecation. “In an…impressive amount of ways.”

“All of which, I’ll get over,” Kyle said coolly. “So don’t play this game. I’ll go right down to the station and beat up Cartman myself, just for kicks. I don’t regret a second.”

A twisted sort of smile curled Kenny’s lips, like he was smiling against his will.

“You…” He began, trailing off with fondness apparent in his eyes.

Kyle smiled himself, gently scratching against Kenny’s scalp. The other boy exhaled audibly, leaning against the touch.

“So.” Kyle kept brushing his hair.

“So,” Kenny murmured, sounding resigned.

Where do you even begin?

“What was that?” Kyle asked, fingers brushing over his forehead. “You took Cartman down, Kenny. Like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”

Kenny winced, biting his lip. “Kyle, there’s things Mysterion never told you-”

“Would you tell me now, if I asked you?” Kyle interrupted him, making Kenny regard him oddly.

“Yes,” He said slowly, like it was obvious. That was enough.

“Then we’ll get to that,” He said, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders.

Kenny was still trying to connect the dots, or else was afraid to believe the picture he was getting.

Kyle grit his teeth and shifted, so that he leaned against the couch, close enough to feel soft breaths of air against his collarbone as Kenny breathed.

Kenny’s lies had knocked things out of balance, but now they were back. Kyle was the one injured, sure, but he’d stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Kenny and they both ended up okay. Kenny never meant to be malicious, never meant to actually deceive Kyle for some darker reason. He could let go.

Kyle leaned over, giving Kenny the chance to protest if he wanted.

He didn’t.

Kenny kissed Kyle, propping himself up slightly on his arms, relief and delight almost tangible through lip contact. One hand curled into his hair, he sighed against Kyle’s lips, relaxing at last almost a full day after the showdown.

“I would have chosen Kenny over Mysterion,” Kyle found himself saying, like the words were bursting to get out.

Kenny smiled against his lips, pulling Kyle back.

“I know,” He said, breathless, nuzzling his nose against Kyle’s. “You did. And you still went back for me, anyway. You still wanted to protect me.”

“Of course I did,” Kyle’s good hand was soothingly brushing his cheek. “You were my friend.”

“Ky, you called me,” Kenny sounded almost anguished, focusing again on the boy. “You sent me a text message, you called me, you wanted _me,_ you wanted _my help_ , you trusted me and I’m so sorry.”

“Do I look mad?” Kyle asked, ironically with a drop of irritation.

A quick laugh escaped the other boy. “You always look mad,” He teased affectionately, blue eyes soft as Kyle scoffed. “In all seriousness, dude. Doesn’t matter if you’re angry or not.”

Kyle leaned down to rest his head against Kenny’s. The blond’s arm slid up his arm to half-hug him, tightly.

“I was right,” Kenny said quietly, voice laced in warmth. “You’re definitely the hero type.”

That made Kyle laugh, involuntarily, feeling just a bit jittery.

Kenny pressed soft kisses against his cheek, trying to pull Kyle further onto the couch.

“Easy,” Kyle murmured, even as he moved to sit next to him. “I’m sewn back together over here.”

Kenny motioned to look at Kyle’s casted wrist, pressing a kiss against it and holding it carefully. “You’re just missing the superpowers. If I could gift you regeneration, Ky-”

“Oh, I’ve had worse,” Kyle interrupted him again in his downward spiral. “This was worth it to see the look of absolute horror on Cartman’s face. I’ll take it.”

Kenny snorted, softly, still gently holding his wrist. He looked thoughtful, chewing at his lip.

Kyle waited.

Kenny let go of his wrist, slowly moving to sit up as well, careful not to jostle Kyle.

“I am going to tell you everything,” Kenny promised, all earnest in his promise. “I mean it.”

“Doesn’t have to be today,” Kyle gently told him, feeling warm. “We did just get out of a fight with a villain, after all.”

“Yeah,” Kenny smiled to himself slightly, something far more Mysterion in the expression.

Kyle raised an eyebrow. “What’d you do with WonderStrike?”

“That,” Kenny said, coming back to the present with a sharp look, “Is an interesting story. You know Cartman was trying to amass a group of heroes under his direction?”

“Cartman couldn’t direct a pigeon home,” Kyle felt satisfied in putting him down at this point. His body ached. “Was Wonder part of it?”

“Yeah, you know how people started saying Wonder and SuperStrike were cute together and people started getting weird about it?” Kenny raised his eyebrows. “Either I’m one of those people or this definitely isn’t platonic. Cartman had SuperStrike under his group and more or less blackmailed Wonder, who hates him, by the way, I think you’ll like this guy- into staying away from Super. _Only_ -” Kenny continued, eyes lit with a fire, “Wonder decided to sacrifice how his friend/peer/coworker/boyfriend saw him by telling him to stay away from Cartman regardless.”

“Wonder thinks his partner would listen to his accusation and just leave?” Kyle marveled over this. As if walking up to a buddy and saying ‘that friend you’re with is shit’ would just encounter a reply of ‘oh shit really bye’ and that was it. That wasn’t the case, he could personally attest.

“As I said, not very platonic,” Kenny’s voice was serious, Mysterion showing up all over his face. His determination, decisiveness, analyzing everything he saw. Only it had been Kenny to begin with. An aspect of Kenny’s personality that build Mysterion, not the other way around.

“So Cartman threatened SuperStrike’s life. And Wonder dropped everything. But now he doesn’t know where the Coon headquarters were and Super’s been out of the spotlight for ages. He knows nothing of his personal identity of even what part of town he lives in. He wants some help, he’s concerned.”

Oh.

A slow smile spread over Kyle’s face, fire lighting in his green eyes. “Did you want someone to help you with that?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

A smile curved Kenny’s lips as well, and affection melted away the calm indifference. “Well. I don’t want you physically out there, of course, but you’re…you’re still the smartest person I know. And anyway…” His smiled tightened, but he grasped Kyle’s hand with real warmth. “Mysterion still needs you. I still need you. And I _want_ you here. I want to work with out. If you want that, too.”

Kenny’s babbling was endearing and Kyle pressed their foreheads together. It was difficult to focus on Kenny this way, but he was warm and real and radiating joy. Kyle could bask in it forever.

“Yes, I do,” He replied, and Kenny’s arms began wrapping around his shoulders. “I spent months worrying over you, you made me spend weeks falling in love with you again. The very least you can do is let me help you now.”

Kenny made a noise somewhere between a laugh, a squeak, and a snort, hiding his face in Kyle’s neck, and the hybrid sound made Kyle grin.

Ages worrying over him. Kyle wasn’t exaggerating. Kenny really didn’t have anyone else to lean on. And when it came to superhero stuff, neither did Kyle. He and Kenny were it. And they’d work through the slog they created, and they’d have each other’s backs the entire time. Kyle was finally delving into the world of superheroes, like he’d always wanted to, and as Kenny’s partner.

“I think I’m going to have a lot of fun the upcoming semester,” Kyle said, resting his cheek against Kenny’s hair.”

“I think the city’s about to have two new heroes kick some serious butt,” Kenny replied happily, against his skin just above his tshirt collar. “But not today.”

Kyle brushed the nape of Kenny’s neck, feeling the other nuzzle closer. “No. Not today.”

But the city would wait for them. Crime wasn’t in a hurry. And Mysterion would emerge from a short hiatus as a self-proclaimed hero, working alongside numerous other heroes and even and Ex-Villain at one point.

And people would still gossip in the papers, would still whisper behind hands. That Mysterion had a mastermind behind him, someone with their finger on the city’s pulse. An unstoppable team, a hero and his peer, his companion, his friend. Whatever he was, he remained as quiet and deadly as Mysterion’s shadow, and the city caved under their shared footstep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to PastaOverlord24, who began this whole thing with a prompt. 
> 
> Thanks to UA's_Fics for the readthrough of chapter one. 
> 
> And thank you, for reading and commenting and convincing me to take this a few chapters longer. 
> 
> Until next time.


End file.
